The end of Matchweek 19 marks the midway point of the 2012-13 Barclays Premier League season, so I thought it prudent to recap what has happened so far and how I see the second half playing out. Here are my quick thoughts on each team in order of where they stand in the table:
1. Manchester United (46 points) - dramatic victories in recent weeks have masked some flaws in the back, but they are still the class of the league. Victory over Man City in December was critical.
2. Manchester City (39) - lost two of last four, including shocker to Sunderland. Hope to be within striking distance of the top of the table when they host Man U on April 6.
3. Chelsea (35 - only played 18 matches) - have won three in a row and seem to be hitting their stride under Rafa Benitez's leadership. Match at Everton this Sunday will be important for Champions League positioning.
4. Tottenham (33) - Gareth Bale is healthy and showing that he is one of the top talents in the BPL, lifting the Spurs to Champions League contention once again. Have lost to Everton and Arsenal already.
5. Everton (33) - Blues are often a second-half team, so an impressive first half has them thinking Champions League for the first time since 2005. A positive result against Chelsea this weekend would really shake things up.
6. West Bromwich Albion (33) - one of the big surprises of this season, the Baggies shook off a three-loss streak with seven points in their last three matches. Will likely get a wake-up call at Man U this weekend.
7. Arsenal (30 - only played 18 matches) - a roller coaster season for the Gunners, who are currently on the upswing with three wins in a row. High goal differential of +14 looks really good at this point relative to other teams they are competing with for Champions League.
8. Stoke City (28) - the Potters are on a nine-match unbeaten streak, utilizing their typical style of conservative play. We'll see how well that works against Man City next week.
9. Swansea City (25) - Michu's 13 goals have led a surprising attack for Swansea, the first Welsh side to play in the BPL. Could see them climbing until a late-season stretch that will have them facing Chelsea and both Manchester clubs in a span of three matches.
10. Liverpool (25) - Anfield natives are restless coming off a dreadful loss to Stoke. Liverpool has to find another offensive threat to partner with superstar goal-scorer (11 on the season) and drama queen diver Luis Suarez.
11. Norwich City (25) - The Canaries have surprised many BPL followers this season by staying mid-table, but their -8 goal differential reveals some concerns that will likely catch up with them unless they can find some offensive firepower before the January transfer window passes.
12. West Ham United (23 - only played 18 matches) - the best of the promoted sides this season, the Hammers have been a solid squad and should have enough to stay out of the relegated zone.
13. Sunderland (22) - biggest win of the season so far came earlier today when they knocked off Man City and got over the 20-point mark with their second win in a row. Steven Fletcher has enjoyed his first season at the Stadium of Light, tallying eight goals.
14. Fulham (21) - the folks at Craven Cottage are nervous, as Fulham's recent form has been horrible (draws with relegation zone QPR and struggling Southampton, as well as being routed by Liverpool). Dimitar Berbatov has cooled off.
15. Newcastle United (20) - one of this year's biggest disappointments, Alan Pardew's crew has not been able to follow up their stellar 2011-12 campaign with anything positive...save Demba Ba's continued scoring punch (11 goals - no one else has more than 3).
16. Aston Villa (18) - the Villains have been thumped by a cumulative score of 12-0 in their last two matches, raising tempers and concerns at Villa Park. Christian Benteke has been impressive in spurts, but they are now a BPL-worst -21 in goal differential.
17. Southampton (16 - only played 18 matches) - the proud fanbase of the Saints were thrilled to rejoin the top flight, but they have struggled a bit. A recent win over Reading could prove to be crucial to remaining out of the relegation zone.
18. Wigan Athletic (15) - winless in their last six, Wigan Athletic must once again get hot in the second half to avoid relegation...something Roberto Martinez has been able to coax out of his boys in recent seasons.
19. Reading (10) - recent form has not been all that bad, with a draw vs Swansea and one-goal loss to Man City, but they have a lot of work to do to move up the table and avoid going back down.
20. Queens Park Rangers (10) - QPR brought in Harry Redknapp a few weeks ago when the team was winless and looking for something to spark the squad. Redknapp has since led the team to a win, and two one-goal losses after that win show improved form...but likely not enough to avoid relegation given their poor start.
And here are my revised predictions for how the table will finish:
1. Manchester United (Champions League berth)
2. Chelsea (Champions League berth)
3. Manchester City (Champions League berth)
4. Everton (Champions League berth)
5. Arsenal (Europa League berth)
6. Tottenham (Europa League berth)
7. Stoke City
8. Swansea City
9. Liverpool
10. West Bromwich Albion
11. West Ham United
12. Norwich City
13. Newcastle United
14. Sunderland
15. Fulham
16. Aston Villa
17. Southampton
18. Wigan Athletic
19. Reading
20. Queens Park Rangers
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
MLS Cup Final Preview - David Beckham's Farewell Match
Later this afternoon, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo battle for the MLS Cup (ESPN at 4:30 pm ET). This is a rematch of last year's final, which the Galaxy won to earn their third title in the 16-year history of the league.
Here is my preview of the 2012 MLS Cup Final:
Houston Dynamo
The Dynamo are undoubtedly the underdogs in this match, but don't underestimate their talent on the field or in the coaches box. Brad Davis has been one of the best players in the league in recent seasons, and he racked up eight goals and a dozen assists in 2012. Davis had to sit out last year's final due to a quad injury, so you know he will be motivated to put in a great performance today. Along with David Beckham, Davis is one of the finest set piece threats in the MLS, so today's match could be dictated by which team earns the most set pieces in threatening areas on the pitch. Dominic Kinnear is in his ninth season as head coach of the Dynamo and led them to the MLS title in 2006 and 2007, so he knows what it takes to win a big match.
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy have been the drama darlings of the MLS in recent months. David Beckham announced he would be leaving the league after this season, so you know the Galaxy will want to send him out on top. Landon Donovan, the most decorated player not only in the history of US National Team Soccer but also the MLS with four championship rings, has openly discussed uncertainty about his future and hinted about retirement so he, too, may be playing his last match in the MLS. While Beckham and Donovan obviously bring a great deal of talent to the Galaxy, you cannot overstate how important Robbie Keane and his 16 goals and nine assists were to their campaign while the two more well-documented stars battled injuries. Like Houston, L.A. is led by an experienced and successful manager in Bruce Arena, who has won three MLS titles as head man.
Prediction
Look for a fired up crowd to help the Galaxy dictate play early. It would not surprise me if that energy cost the home team, however, and led to a mistake that gives the Dynamo an early lead. Even if that happens, I don't see the Galaxy letting this farewell story for Beckham - and possibly Donovan - end on a losing note. Again, set pieces will be a big factor, and it would be all too storybook to see Beckham score the winner off a free kick.
Los Angeles Galaxy 2, Houston Dynamo 1
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| David Beckham hoisting the MLS Championship Trophy after leading the Galaxy to the 2011 title |
Houston Dynamo
The Dynamo are undoubtedly the underdogs in this match, but don't underestimate their talent on the field or in the coaches box. Brad Davis has been one of the best players in the league in recent seasons, and he racked up eight goals and a dozen assists in 2012. Davis had to sit out last year's final due to a quad injury, so you know he will be motivated to put in a great performance today. Along with David Beckham, Davis is one of the finest set piece threats in the MLS, so today's match could be dictated by which team earns the most set pieces in threatening areas on the pitch. Dominic Kinnear is in his ninth season as head coach of the Dynamo and led them to the MLS title in 2006 and 2007, so he knows what it takes to win a big match.
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy have been the drama darlings of the MLS in recent months. David Beckham announced he would be leaving the league after this season, so you know the Galaxy will want to send him out on top. Landon Donovan, the most decorated player not only in the history of US National Team Soccer but also the MLS with four championship rings, has openly discussed uncertainty about his future and hinted about retirement so he, too, may be playing his last match in the MLS. While Beckham and Donovan obviously bring a great deal of talent to the Galaxy, you cannot overstate how important Robbie Keane and his 16 goals and nine assists were to their campaign while the two more well-documented stars battled injuries. Like Houston, L.A. is led by an experienced and successful manager in Bruce Arena, who has won three MLS titles as head man.
Prediction
Look for a fired up crowd to help the Galaxy dictate play early. It would not surprise me if that energy cost the home team, however, and led to a mistake that gives the Dynamo an early lead. Even if that happens, I don't see the Galaxy letting this farewell story for Beckham - and possibly Donovan - end on a losing note. Again, set pieces will be a big factor, and it would be all too storybook to see Beckham score the winner off a free kick.
Los Angeles Galaxy 2, Houston Dynamo 1
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Life Without Landon Looking More Likely for USMNT
Landon Donovan has been the face of the USMNT for years. He is the all-time leader in scoring and assists for the national team and has the most appearances in the stars and stripes of any active player. His stoppage time goal against Algeria in the 2010 FIFA World Cup was probably the most important and memorable goal scored by the USMNT, advancing them into the second round and setting off celebrations throughout the world.
In recent weeks, however, Donovan has talked more and more about retiring from the game. Most recently, in an interview with ESPN's Julie Foudy, Donovan said that his body has told him he needed a break over the past year. He went on to say "I don't feel any obligation to play. I don't feel any responsibility to play. I think I've put in a lot into this whole thing. I'm proud of what I've done and what I've been a part of. But I can't fake it."
This lack of passion and commitment to the USMNT is troubling, but in many ways it will help further the handoff of team leadership and identity from Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra - the two mainstays of recent years - to the likes of Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard. Donovan will not be playing in any matches any time soon, if ever again, while Bocanegra's spot in the Starting XI is more and more tenuous after every match. Dempsey and Howard are among the best at their positions in the English Premier League, and both have played key roles in Jurgen Klinsmann's locker room.
2013 will be a big year for the USMNT. The final qualification round - known as the Hex - begins in February/March and the Gold Cup will take place in the summer. Despite the likely absence of Donovan, the US seems to have a lot of depth in the midfield with Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Danny Williams, Brek Shea, and hopefully a healthy Stuart Holden returning to the squad. But Landon Donovan will be missed...from the sounds of his recent interviews, probably a lot more than he will miss his teammates or putting on the red, white, and blue kit.
In recent weeks, however, Donovan has talked more and more about retiring from the game. Most recently, in an interview with ESPN's Julie Foudy, Donovan said that his body has told him he needed a break over the past year. He went on to say "I don't feel any obligation to play. I don't feel any responsibility to play. I think I've put in a lot into this whole thing. I'm proud of what I've done and what I've been a part of. But I can't fake it."
This lack of passion and commitment to the USMNT is troubling, but in many ways it will help further the handoff of team leadership and identity from Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra - the two mainstays of recent years - to the likes of Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard. Donovan will not be playing in any matches any time soon, if ever again, while Bocanegra's spot in the Starting XI is more and more tenuous after every match. Dempsey and Howard are among the best at their positions in the English Premier League, and both have played key roles in Jurgen Klinsmann's locker room.
2013 will be a big year for the USMNT. The final qualification round - known as the Hex - begins in February/March and the Gold Cup will take place in the summer. Despite the likely absence of Donovan, the US seems to have a lot of depth in the midfield with Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Danny Williams, Brek Shea, and hopefully a healthy Stuart Holden returning to the squad. But Landon Donovan will be missed...from the sounds of his recent interviews, probably a lot more than he will miss his teammates or putting on the red, white, and blue kit.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
USMNT Wins, Moves on to Final World Cup Qualifying Round!
The US Men's National Team defeated Guatemala last night, 3-1, to win its semifinal round qualifying group and move on to the final round of qualifying, known in this region as the "Hex." The loss knocked Guatemala out of World Cup Qualifying.
The US played its most complete match of the semifinal round at its most critical stage. If you missed the match, watch highlights by clicking here. Despite giving up an early goal and having some issues in the backline, the US dominated possession and took advantage of some great play from Clint Dempsey (2 goals and an assist). Also earning high marks were Herculez Gomez (great effort throughout, and his work earning a corner kick was critical to an early goal), Michael Bradley (dominated the midfield and contributed an assist on one of Dempsey's goals) and Eddie Johnson (assisted on Dempsey's first goal and played well before tiring late).
And now, it is on to the Hex. Here is a lowdown on the format:
Six CONCACAF teams make up the Hex (hence the name): Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, United States. The top three finishers in the round-robin format (one home, one away against each of the teams) qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The fourth place finisher will play a two-match playoff against the winner from the Oceania region (New Zealand is considered the favorite), with the winner advancing to the World Cup. The teams finishing fifth and sixth in the Hex are out.
Hex matches will begin in March. Until then, the US will play some friendly matches, including one next month against Russia. For now, let's enjoy a deep breath and look forward to the announcement of match dates and locations in the coming days.
The US played its most complete match of the semifinal round at its most critical stage. If you missed the match, watch highlights by clicking here. Despite giving up an early goal and having some issues in the backline, the US dominated possession and took advantage of some great play from Clint Dempsey (2 goals and an assist). Also earning high marks were Herculez Gomez (great effort throughout, and his work earning a corner kick was critical to an early goal), Michael Bradley (dominated the midfield and contributed an assist on one of Dempsey's goals) and Eddie Johnson (assisted on Dempsey's first goal and played well before tiring late).
And now, it is on to the Hex. Here is a lowdown on the format:
Six CONCACAF teams make up the Hex (hence the name): Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, United States. The top three finishers in the round-robin format (one home, one away against each of the teams) qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The fourth place finisher will play a two-match playoff against the winner from the Oceania region (New Zealand is considered the favorite), with the winner advancing to the World Cup. The teams finishing fifth and sixth in the Hex are out.
Hex matches will begin in March. Until then, the US will play some friendly matches, including one next month against Russia. For now, let's enjoy a deep breath and look forward to the announcement of match dates and locations in the coming days.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
USMNT Gears Up for Final World Cup Semifinal Round Qualifier
Tuesday marks the end of the semifinal round of qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. With one match remaining, the US sits tied atop its group with Guatemala at 10 points. Jamaica has seven points, and Antigua and Barbuda has just one point. The US and Guatemala will play each other in Kansas City on Tuesday knowing a win or draw will get them into the final round of qualifying, known as the Hexagonal. Jamaica takes on A&B and needs a win and for the US-Guatemala match to end in lopsided fashion so they can win the goal differential (the US and Guatemala are both +3 and Jamaica is even). In other words, the US would have to lose and Jamaica would have to win big for our boys not to advance.
The USMNT has had an up and down qualification journey. Friday night saw long-overlooked striker Eddie Johnson score early on a header off a beautiful feed from Graham Zusi, only to see A&B take advantage of a weak left and left-center defense - starting LB Fabian Johnson missed the match with the flu - to tie things up. Only a second goal from Johnson, which came in the 90th minute, salvaged all three points for the US and made things less nerve wracking going into Tuesday's match with Guatemala.
Watch Johnson's game-winning goal here!
For the negative nancies and/or newer US Soccer fans out there who might be concerned, allow me to take you back to the first World Cup cycle of this millennium. The USMNT struggled in the pre-Hexagonal round of qualifying and barely made it to the Hex. They ended up dominating the Hex and went on to make the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.
I have faith the USMNT will do something similar this time around. Klinsmann is working hard to instill his style of play and that has been hindered by significant injuries to many of the squad's stars in recent matches (Donovan and Bradley, in particular). If they can get healthy for the Hex, you have to like the USMNT's chances to finish near the top of the group of six. The top three in that group advance to the World Cup, while the fourth place team will play in a playoff to qualify. The Hex should look like this:
Mexico
United States
Guatemala
Panama
Costa Rica or El Salvador
Canada or Honduras
So, fans of US Soccer, let's cheer on the stars and stripes to victory on Tuesday. A win would help the USMNT grasp onto some positive momentum going into the Hex and once again establish themselves as a favorite to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The USMNT has had an up and down qualification journey. Friday night saw long-overlooked striker Eddie Johnson score early on a header off a beautiful feed from Graham Zusi, only to see A&B take advantage of a weak left and left-center defense - starting LB Fabian Johnson missed the match with the flu - to tie things up. Only a second goal from Johnson, which came in the 90th minute, salvaged all three points for the US and made things less nerve wracking going into Tuesday's match with Guatemala.
Watch Johnson's game-winning goal here!
For the negative nancies and/or newer US Soccer fans out there who might be concerned, allow me to take you back to the first World Cup cycle of this millennium. The USMNT struggled in the pre-Hexagonal round of qualifying and barely made it to the Hex. They ended up dominating the Hex and went on to make the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.
I have faith the USMNT will do something similar this time around. Klinsmann is working hard to instill his style of play and that has been hindered by significant injuries to many of the squad's stars in recent matches (Donovan and Bradley, in particular). If they can get healthy for the Hex, you have to like the USMNT's chances to finish near the top of the group of six. The top three in that group advance to the World Cup, while the fourth place team will play in a playoff to qualify. The Hex should look like this:
Mexico
United States
Guatemala
Panama
Costa Rica or El Salvador
Canada or Honduras
So, fans of US Soccer, let's cheer on the stars and stripes to victory on Tuesday. A win would help the USMNT grasp onto some positive momentum going into the Hex and once again establish themselves as a favorite to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Champions League Group Predictions
The best annual club tournament in the world begins in earnest today, as the Champions League Group Stage kicks off. The Champions League features many of the finest clubs in Europe in a tournament that will run up until the final on May 25, 2013, in London's Wembley Stadium. Last year, Chelsea of the English Premier League upset Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga in Bayern's home stadium in a thrilling final decided by penalty kicks.
The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the Round of 16. Teams will play home and away against each of the squads in their group. Here is how I see the group stage playing out, with teams I predict will advance in BOLD:
Group A: Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo Zagreb, Porto, Paris Saint Germain
PSG significantly bolstered its roster by adding Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, and Ezequiel Lavezzi for one main reason: to compete for the Champions League title. PSG should win this group as long as their club chemistry is at a decent level. Porto, champions of Portugal last season will fend off the others for second.
Group B: Schalke, Montpelier, Arsenal, Olympiacos
Arsenal is fortunate to be placed in a relatively weak group, but the Gunners also seem to be improving in the early stages of the EPL season sparked by new signing Santi Cazorla. Tough to figure out a second-place squad here since the others are fairly even on paper, but I will go with Schalke and super striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Group C: Anderlecht, Malaga, Zenit St. Petersburg, AC Milan
Milan is fortunate their group is one of the weakest, as they have been weakened by a budget-forced roster turnover. Gone are many of their stars from last year's quarterfinal run, such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, but enough talent is on the roster to advance out of this group. Zenit St. Petersburg, last year's Russian champions, put up a tough battle against Benfica in the Round of 16 last year and should get to at least that stage this time around.
Group D: Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Real Madrid
The Group of Death could swallow up a Real Madrid team dealing with internal turmoil from manager to star player, but look for them to advance. Man City is too talented from goalkeeper to forwards and everything in between to not move on, though there will be some tense moments.
Group E: Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, Nordsjaeland, Chelsea
Last year's CL winners, Chelsea, made some significant changes to their lineup, losing cup-winning goal scorer Didier Drogba but countering with additions of Eden Hazard and Oscar. Juventus, the champions of Italy's Serie A last year, bring back much of the same roster and should be able to hold off the competition for second in the group.
Group F: Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov, Bayern Munich
Bayern should have no trouble winning this group, given their level of talent and their desire to want another shot at the Champions League title after falling just short last year. Valencia has a solid club and should be able to advance.
Group G: Benfica, Barcelona, Spartak Moskva, Celtic
A very interesting group headlined by Barcelona, which is still the most talented team in the world on paper. Group runner-up will be hotly contested, but I will go with Benfica coming off last year's upset of Manchester United in the group stage.
Group H: CFR Cluj, Manchester United, Galatasaray, Braga
As just mentioned, the Red Devils of ManU were upset in this stage last year by Benfica, so don't look for them to allow another let down with their high level of talent. United is defnitely the class of this group. I will side with Braga as the second team, given their recent league success in Portugal amid tougher competition.
Ok, let's hear it...who you got advancing? Any sleeper picks?
The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the Round of 16. Teams will play home and away against each of the squads in their group. Here is how I see the group stage playing out, with teams I predict will advance in BOLD:
Group A: Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo Zagreb, Porto, Paris Saint Germain
PSG significantly bolstered its roster by adding Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, and Ezequiel Lavezzi for one main reason: to compete for the Champions League title. PSG should win this group as long as their club chemistry is at a decent level. Porto, champions of Portugal last season will fend off the others for second.
Group B: Schalke, Montpelier, Arsenal, Olympiacos
Arsenal is fortunate to be placed in a relatively weak group, but the Gunners also seem to be improving in the early stages of the EPL season sparked by new signing Santi Cazorla. Tough to figure out a second-place squad here since the others are fairly even on paper, but I will go with Schalke and super striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Group C: Anderlecht, Malaga, Zenit St. Petersburg, AC Milan
Milan is fortunate their group is one of the weakest, as they have been weakened by a budget-forced roster turnover. Gone are many of their stars from last year's quarterfinal run, such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, but enough talent is on the roster to advance out of this group. Zenit St. Petersburg, last year's Russian champions, put up a tough battle against Benfica in the Round of 16 last year and should get to at least that stage this time around.
Group D: Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Real Madrid
The Group of Death could swallow up a Real Madrid team dealing with internal turmoil from manager to star player, but look for them to advance. Man City is too talented from goalkeeper to forwards and everything in between to not move on, though there will be some tense moments.
Group E: Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, Nordsjaeland, Chelsea
Last year's CL winners, Chelsea, made some significant changes to their lineup, losing cup-winning goal scorer Didier Drogba but countering with additions of Eden Hazard and Oscar. Juventus, the champions of Italy's Serie A last year, bring back much of the same roster and should be able to hold off the competition for second in the group.
Group F: Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov, Bayern Munich
Bayern should have no trouble winning this group, given their level of talent and their desire to want another shot at the Champions League title after falling just short last year. Valencia has a solid club and should be able to advance.
Group G: Benfica, Barcelona, Spartak Moskva, Celtic
A very interesting group headlined by Barcelona, which is still the most talented team in the world on paper. Group runner-up will be hotly contested, but I will go with Benfica coming off last year's upset of Manchester United in the group stage.
Group H: CFR Cluj, Manchester United, Galatasaray, Braga
As just mentioned, the Red Devils of ManU were upset in this stage last year by Benfica, so don't look for them to allow another let down with their high level of talent. United is defnitely the class of this group. I will side with Braga as the second team, given their recent league success in Portugal amid tougher competition.
Ok, let's hear it...who you got advancing? Any sleeper picks?
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Night to Remember as USMNT Beats Jamaica in World Cup Qualifier
It has been 36 hours since the end of the USMNT's victory over Jamaica in the September 11 World Cup Qualifier in Columbus...and I'm just starting to regain my voice! I have never attended a sporting event where the fan base was as loud and passionate, and I've been to some great ones like Ohio State hosting Texas in front of 100,000+ screaming fans at the Horseshoe and the Browns beating the Steelers in front of 70,000+ fans in primetime to knock their arch-rivals out of the playoff race. The enthusiasm I experienced sitting with my fellow American Outlaws was at a different level, especially on the 11th anniversary of 9/11. The patriotic, sold out crowd of nearly 24,000 fans was amazing. Many members of the national media and players shared how pleased they were with the crowd, including US goalkeeper Tim Howard who said:
"It was awesome. This is probably one of the best home-field advantages we have in America. I don’t know what it is about Columbus. Everyone was standing, there were thousands of people with flags. It was really an electric, pro-American atmosphere and that’s such an awesome thing. Hats off to the fans and people in Columbus and that’s not the first time; it’s happened over-and-over. We really feel that pride and home-field advantage and we don’t get that everywhere.” (Quote courtesy of US Soccer)
Most importantly, of course, the USMNT defeated Jamaica in what was a crucial semi-final round qualifying match. Herculez Gomez scored the only goal of the game on a free-kick in the 55th minute that was struck perfectly, curling into the net past the Jamaican goalkeeper. The US outplayed Jamaica throughout the match, except for a few moments near the end when the boys may have been exhausted by the sheer emotion of the night and the visitors played with more desperation to score a tying goal. The US could have been up by a couple goals at halftime, as near misses off the crossbar and post were just a fraction off.
The result of the victory is that the USMNT now lead the semifinal qualifying group on goal differential over Jamaica and Guatemala. The final two matches of this qualifying round are Oct. 12 at Antigua & Barbuda and Oct. 16 Guatemala in Kansas City. Two wins automatically qualify the US for the final qualifying round, called the Hexagonal because there are six teams in that round that each play against each other once on the road and once at home. A win and a tie, and the US will likely be in as well.
Finally, here are some photos I took from the day and night at Crew Stadium that I will never forget:
"It was awesome. This is probably one of the best home-field advantages we have in America. I don’t know what it is about Columbus. Everyone was standing, there were thousands of people with flags. It was really an electric, pro-American atmosphere and that’s such an awesome thing. Hats off to the fans and people in Columbus and that’s not the first time; it’s happened over-and-over. We really feel that pride and home-field advantage and we don’t get that everywhere.” (Quote courtesy of US Soccer)
Most importantly, of course, the USMNT defeated Jamaica in what was a crucial semi-final round qualifying match. Herculez Gomez scored the only goal of the game on a free-kick in the 55th minute that was struck perfectly, curling into the net past the Jamaican goalkeeper. The US outplayed Jamaica throughout the match, except for a few moments near the end when the boys may have been exhausted by the sheer emotion of the night and the visitors played with more desperation to score a tying goal. The US could have been up by a couple goals at halftime, as near misses off the crossbar and post were just a fraction off.
The result of the victory is that the USMNT now lead the semifinal qualifying group on goal differential over Jamaica and Guatemala. The final two matches of this qualifying round are Oct. 12 at Antigua & Barbuda and Oct. 16 Guatemala in Kansas City. Two wins automatically qualify the US for the final qualifying round, called the Hexagonal because there are six teams in that round that each play against each other once on the road and once at home. A win and a tie, and the US will likely be in as well.
Finally, here are some photos I took from the day and night at Crew Stadium that I will never forget:
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| Tailgating with my boys, Anthony and Dave |
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| Pre-game flag waving |
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| Crowd revving up just before kickoff |
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| Post-game on the field! |
Friday, September 7, 2012
USMNT World Cup Qualifier Preview - Jamaica
The USMNT will take on Jamaica twice over the next five days, with the first match in Kingston this evening and the return match in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday. These two matches will go a long way in deciding the semifinal round of qualifying for the USA. Here's my take on the three keys for these matches, from the back of the field to the front:
1. Back line needs to start coming together
Fabian Johnson seems to have solidified his spot as one of the outside backers on the national team with his ability to get forward and knack for doing the dirty work necessary in the back. The two veterans of the squad, Captain America Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo, will likely keep their outside backer spots as they add stability and presence in front of superstar goalkeeper Tim Howard. That leaves the other centerback position up for grabs, but that should go to Geoff Cameron based on his stellar play against Mexico and his recent big move to Stoke City in the EPL. Cameron could also play in the defensive midfield where he is deployed with Stoke, which would open up a spot for Clarence Goodson (who played extremely well in the win over Italy earlier this year). I would only do this if another one of the defensive midfielders like Beckerman or Jones goes down with an injury. It would be good to see Jurgen Klinsmann having a more stable lineup in the back; a back line of Johnson-Bocanegra-Cameron-Cherundolo should be one to stay with for the foreseeable future.
2. Midfield depth will be tested
I have long claimed that the midfield is where the USMNT is strongest, with the likes of Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, and Clint Dempsey all playing key roles in recent years in the middle of the pitch. Some of the young players we have raved about before like Brek Shea, who was a key in the win at Mexico, and oft-injured Stuart Holden are looked on as future stars. This depth will be put to the test over the next five days, as Donovan and Bradley will sit out these matches due to injuries, and Dempsey is still getting into form after his transfer to Tottenham in the EPL. Look for Jones, Edu, and Beckerman to play a lot of minutes in these matches. Dempsey will likely be deployed more as a substitute forward in these matches to save the wear and tear on his body while he gets back into top shape.
3. Who will score goals?
When it's all said and done, the US needs at least a win and a tie in these matches to take a commanding lead in their qualifying group, so scoreless draws just won't cut it. Jamaica has some speed and quality on the ball, but their defense is suspect. The US must take advantage of this, and to do so they need Jozy Altidore to display the scoring touch he has shown in recent months in Europe. Other than Dempsey, there has been no American field player in better form than Altidore over the past year. Herculez Gomez has put in some solid efforts recently and will likely start next to Altidore, with Terrence Boyd and Dempsey likely to play substitute roles.
Here is the lineup I hope to see in these matches:
GK - Howard
RB - Johnson
CB - Bocanegra and Cameron
LB - Cherundolo
MF - Beckerman, Edu, Jones, Shea
F - Altidore, Gomez
SUBS - Dempsey on for Gomez; Boyd on for Altidore; Goodson on for Cameron so he can relieve Jones in the midfield when he inevitably gets a yellow card for a hard challenge
Disagree on my lineup suggestions? Who would you start? Who do you want to see step up his game in these two matches?
1. Back line needs to start coming together
Fabian Johnson seems to have solidified his spot as one of the outside backers on the national team with his ability to get forward and knack for doing the dirty work necessary in the back. The two veterans of the squad, Captain America Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo, will likely keep their outside backer spots as they add stability and presence in front of superstar goalkeeper Tim Howard. That leaves the other centerback position up for grabs, but that should go to Geoff Cameron based on his stellar play against Mexico and his recent big move to Stoke City in the EPL. Cameron could also play in the defensive midfield where he is deployed with Stoke, which would open up a spot for Clarence Goodson (who played extremely well in the win over Italy earlier this year). I would only do this if another one of the defensive midfielders like Beckerman or Jones goes down with an injury. It would be good to see Jurgen Klinsmann having a more stable lineup in the back; a back line of Johnson-Bocanegra-Cameron-Cherundolo should be one to stay with for the foreseeable future.
2. Midfield depth will be tested
I have long claimed that the midfield is where the USMNT is strongest, with the likes of Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, and Clint Dempsey all playing key roles in recent years in the middle of the pitch. Some of the young players we have raved about before like Brek Shea, who was a key in the win at Mexico, and oft-injured Stuart Holden are looked on as future stars. This depth will be put to the test over the next five days, as Donovan and Bradley will sit out these matches due to injuries, and Dempsey is still getting into form after his transfer to Tottenham in the EPL. Look for Jones, Edu, and Beckerman to play a lot of minutes in these matches. Dempsey will likely be deployed more as a substitute forward in these matches to save the wear and tear on his body while he gets back into top shape.
3. Who will score goals?
When it's all said and done, the US needs at least a win and a tie in these matches to take a commanding lead in their qualifying group, so scoreless draws just won't cut it. Jamaica has some speed and quality on the ball, but their defense is suspect. The US must take advantage of this, and to do so they need Jozy Altidore to display the scoring touch he has shown in recent months in Europe. Other than Dempsey, there has been no American field player in better form than Altidore over the past year. Herculez Gomez has put in some solid efforts recently and will likely start next to Altidore, with Terrence Boyd and Dempsey likely to play substitute roles.
Here is the lineup I hope to see in these matches:
GK - Howard
RB - Johnson
CB - Bocanegra and Cameron
LB - Cherundolo
MF - Beckerman, Edu, Jones, Shea
F - Altidore, Gomez
SUBS - Dempsey on for Gomez; Boyd on for Altidore; Goodson on for Cameron so he can relieve Jones in the midfield when he inevitably gets a yellow card for a hard challenge
Disagree on my lineup suggestions? Who would you start? Who do you want to see step up his game in these two matches?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Historic win for USMNT over Mexico
The USMNT defied the odds and critics tonight with a 1-0 victory over Mexico in Estadio Azteca. It was a night many fans of the Stars and Stripes won't soon forget. Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Confidence should be sky high going into important World Cup Qualifiers.
The USMNT surprised many tonight. Fielding what many called a "B team" due to the absences of Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and captain Carlos Bocanegra, the US came in as the underdog. Add in factors like an 0-23-1 all-time record in Mexico and that Mexico was celebrating its recent Gold Medal in the Olympics while fielding most of its normal starting line-up, and things did not look good on paper. But the boys battled with a strong defensive mindset and capitalized on a great sequence sparked by Brek Shea's between-the-defender's-legs move and cross to Terrence Boyd who heel passed to Michael Orozco Fiscal for the tap-in goal. Watch the goal here on YouTube
With two qualifying matches against a decent Jamaica squad coming up next month, this was a great confidence boost for some youngsters who played significant roles in tonight's memorable victory. Jamaica will be the biggest test for the US in the semifinal round of qualifying, so the timing could not have been better.
2. Geoff Cameron continued his meteoric rise.
Cameron has had an amazing summer. After his recently signed agreement to join Stoke City in the English Premier League, many were looking forward to seeing how Cameron fared in containing Chicharito and the Mexican offensive attack. Cameron did not disappoint, clearing many balls and playing a physical style that seemed to frustrate the home squad. Cameron and Clarence Goodson have been solid in recent matches, giving the US some great options in the back moving forward in qualifiers.
3. Stay classy, Tim Howard.
The net minder of our USMNT has never played a more impressive road match in my eyes, especially in the second half when he flat out robbed Mexico of two goals. With a completely new lineup of defenders in front of him - again - Howard was called on to bark out positioning and coverage orders and did so as flawlessly as always. As Howard prepares for another season as one of the EPL's best goalkeepers, we were reminded once again how fortunate we are to have him leading the American squad.
1. Confidence should be sky high going into important World Cup Qualifiers.
The USMNT surprised many tonight. Fielding what many called a "B team" due to the absences of Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and captain Carlos Bocanegra, the US came in as the underdog. Add in factors like an 0-23-1 all-time record in Mexico and that Mexico was celebrating its recent Gold Medal in the Olympics while fielding most of its normal starting line-up, and things did not look good on paper. But the boys battled with a strong defensive mindset and capitalized on a great sequence sparked by Brek Shea's between-the-defender's-legs move and cross to Terrence Boyd who heel passed to Michael Orozco Fiscal for the tap-in goal. Watch the goal here on YouTube
With two qualifying matches against a decent Jamaica squad coming up next month, this was a great confidence boost for some youngsters who played significant roles in tonight's memorable victory. Jamaica will be the biggest test for the US in the semifinal round of qualifying, so the timing could not have been better.
2. Geoff Cameron continued his meteoric rise.
Cameron has had an amazing summer. After his recently signed agreement to join Stoke City in the English Premier League, many were looking forward to seeing how Cameron fared in containing Chicharito and the Mexican offensive attack. Cameron did not disappoint, clearing many balls and playing a physical style that seemed to frustrate the home squad. Cameron and Clarence Goodson have been solid in recent matches, giving the US some great options in the back moving forward in qualifiers.
3. Stay classy, Tim Howard.
The net minder of our USMNT has never played a more impressive road match in my eyes, especially in the second half when he flat out robbed Mexico of two goals. With a completely new lineup of defenders in front of him - again - Howard was called on to bark out positioning and coverage orders and did so as flawlessly as always. As Howard prepares for another season as one of the EPL's best goalkeepers, we were reminded once again how fortunate we are to have him leading the American squad.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
EPL 2012-13 Season Preview
The 2012-13 English Premier League season kicks off next weekend, so it's time to make some predictions on the upcoming campaign. Here is how I think the season will play out:
1. Manchester City - the defending champions have the best goalkeeper in the league and some tough stalwarts in the back, but where they are most dangerous are up front. Carlos Tevez was stellar at the end of last season and will lead the attack, but Mario Balotelli is coming off an amazing Euro 2012 tournament for Italy and might be ready to become one of the finest forwards in the world. Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko would be leading goal scorers on most other clubs but will be complementary for City unless Tevez is sold or Balotelli continues his trend of behavioral problems.
2. Manchester United - last year's runners up are hungry after just missing back-to-back EPL championships, but they did not make many changes to their roster for the upcoming season. Shinji Kagawa will be an entertaining player to watch in the midfield, creating for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Chicharito, though continued rumors surrounding Robin Van Persie may cost the Mexican star playing time. RVP may make the difference for Red Devils.
3. Chelsea - many forget that the surprise winners of last year's Champions League only finished sixth in the EPL standings and would not have qualified for this year's CL if not for their win over Bayern Munich in the final. This year's club is without star forward Didier Drogba, but the additions of Brazilian star Oscar and Eden Hazard from Belgium add star power to a strong club.
4. Arsenal - all Arsenal fan eyes are pointed toward star forward Robin Van Persie, who is in the final season of his contract and said in the off-season that he would not resign. Many of the top clubs in the EPL and some outside the league are rumored to be inquiring about RVP, but no move has been made yet. If RVP stays with Arsenal, they should compete for another Champions League berth. Spain's Santi Casorla and Germany's Lukas Podolski will add creativity and firepower to the attack.
5. Tottenham - another team seemingly in limbo, as Emmanuel Adebayor is scheduled to return to Manchester City after being loaned to Tottenham last year and Luka Modric is being courted by Real Madrid. If Tottenham loses these two stars and does not reinvest that money quickly, they could be looking at a mid-table finish. That said, new manager Andre Villas-Boas will likely see some new faces coming in with that lost talent and rally the troops to a Europa League berth.
6. Liverpool - Brendan Rogers takes over the helm of one of last season's most enigmatic clubs. Liverpool finished eighth - its worst league finish in nearly two decades - but made it to the final of the FA Cup and won the Carling Cup. The offensive attack is in good shape led by Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, with Italian signing Fabio Borini added to the group and American star Clint Dempsey a likely signing in the coming days from Fulham.
7. Everton - the Blues may finally have some serious talent on David Moyes' perennially overachieving squad. Steven Naismith and Steven Pienaar join last year's signing of striker Nikica Jelavic to give Everton a decent attack, while Leighton Baines and John Heitinga stabilize a decent set of fullbacks. Tim Howard remains one of the finest netminders in the league.
8. Newcastle United - Alan Pardew led the biggest surprise on the positive side in last year's season, but the bar has certainly been raised. Demba Ba unleashed an amazing scoring campaign and will be called on again to lead the attack for a squad that did not make many changes in the offseason. A mid-season transfer window pick up or two could do wonders for their upcoming season.
9. Fulham - like Arsenal, Fulham is in a bit of limbo with the uncertainty surrounding one of its biggest stars...in this case, Clint Dempsey who scored an amazing 23 goals last season. Dempsey looks to be all but gone to Liverpool, so Fulham must get more consistent contributions from the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Moussa Dembele.
10. Norwich City - the Canaries had a solid, mid-table return to the EPL last year. Led by Grant Holt and Steve Morison, they never were really in danger of relegation and that's about all you can hope for in the first year of an EPL tenure.
11. West Bromwich Albion - WBA finished last season about as strongly as any squad, and recent loan signing of Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku should help significantly if he comes in hungry and pairs up well with Peter Odemwingie.
12. Sunderland - coming off a solid campaign, Martin O'Neill looks to get Sunderland into the top half of the table led by youngsters in forward Nicklas Bendtner and winger James McClean. Transfer target Steven Fletcher from Wolves would be a great addition to its offensive attack.
13. Swansea City - the loss of manager Brendan Rogers to Liverpool is significant, but Swansea still has some serious talent up front with Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham.
14. Southampton - promoted side finished second in the Championship last year, but had the highest goal differential and possesses a potent attack led by Richard Lambert, who scored 29 goals in all competitions last season. Adam Lallana is a young midfielder to watch.
15. Reading - last year's Championship winner is a more conservative side than Southampton, relying more on its defense, solid goalkeeper Adam Federici, and balanced scoring to lead the way. Young forward Adam Le Fondre is someone to keep an eye on, as he scored 12 goals in 16 games for Reading after being picked up from Rotherham United in League Two.
16. Stoke City - Peter Crouch and the Potters sounds like a bluegrass band, but that's what Stoke City (nicknamed the Potters) often looks to offensively, with the 6' 7" forward posing a great threat on set pieces. Stoke needs an influx of young talent and its aging squad could be in trouble late in the season in what should be another closely packed group at the bottom of the table fighting to stave off relegation.
17. Wigan Athletic - it seems every year that Roberto Martinez puts in a yeoman effort to keep Wigan in the Premier League. Wigan entered the EPL in 2005 for the first time in club history and has remained there ever since, but this looks like another year where it will be a challenge to stay in the top tier.
18. Aston Villa - The Villains are a squad in peril, having reported to lose £53.9 million last season and barely avoiding relegation. Villa is one of the founding members of the Premier League, but this might spell the end of their time in the league for a while unless owner Randy Lerner can finalize his sale of the NFL's Cleveland Browns quickly and pour his profit from that transaction into the squad. Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor lead a decent offensive attack that could make some noise if Lerner can spend some money and bring in good talent behind the forwards.
19. West Ham United - the third of the promoted sides, West Ham has some scorers up front in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan and could make a run at staying up in the EPL, but its back is suspect with Robert Green in goal and some suspects in front of him.
20. Queens Park Rangers - QPR's season ended in high drama, as they blew a late lead to Manchester City that gave City the EPL regular season crown. Enigmatic Joey Barton was red carded in that match, likely his final one for QPR due to a series of issues both on and off the field. QPR showed some pride late last season by winning five straight home wins and solidifying its return to the EPL, but this year I can't see them staying up.
1. Manchester City - the defending champions have the best goalkeeper in the league and some tough stalwarts in the back, but where they are most dangerous are up front. Carlos Tevez was stellar at the end of last season and will lead the attack, but Mario Balotelli is coming off an amazing Euro 2012 tournament for Italy and might be ready to become one of the finest forwards in the world. Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko would be leading goal scorers on most other clubs but will be complementary for City unless Tevez is sold or Balotelli continues his trend of behavioral problems.
2. Manchester United - last year's runners up are hungry after just missing back-to-back EPL championships, but they did not make many changes to their roster for the upcoming season. Shinji Kagawa will be an entertaining player to watch in the midfield, creating for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Chicharito, though continued rumors surrounding Robin Van Persie may cost the Mexican star playing time. RVP may make the difference for Red Devils.
3. Chelsea - many forget that the surprise winners of last year's Champions League only finished sixth in the EPL standings and would not have qualified for this year's CL if not for their win over Bayern Munich in the final. This year's club is without star forward Didier Drogba, but the additions of Brazilian star Oscar and Eden Hazard from Belgium add star power to a strong club.
4. Arsenal - all Arsenal fan eyes are pointed toward star forward Robin Van Persie, who is in the final season of his contract and said in the off-season that he would not resign. Many of the top clubs in the EPL and some outside the league are rumored to be inquiring about RVP, but no move has been made yet. If RVP stays with Arsenal, they should compete for another Champions League berth. Spain's Santi Casorla and Germany's Lukas Podolski will add creativity and firepower to the attack.
5. Tottenham - another team seemingly in limbo, as Emmanuel Adebayor is scheduled to return to Manchester City after being loaned to Tottenham last year and Luka Modric is being courted by Real Madrid. If Tottenham loses these two stars and does not reinvest that money quickly, they could be looking at a mid-table finish. That said, new manager Andre Villas-Boas will likely see some new faces coming in with that lost talent and rally the troops to a Europa League berth.
6. Liverpool - Brendan Rogers takes over the helm of one of last season's most enigmatic clubs. Liverpool finished eighth - its worst league finish in nearly two decades - but made it to the final of the FA Cup and won the Carling Cup. The offensive attack is in good shape led by Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, with Italian signing Fabio Borini added to the group and American star Clint Dempsey a likely signing in the coming days from Fulham.
7. Everton - the Blues may finally have some serious talent on David Moyes' perennially overachieving squad. Steven Naismith and Steven Pienaar join last year's signing of striker Nikica Jelavic to give Everton a decent attack, while Leighton Baines and John Heitinga stabilize a decent set of fullbacks. Tim Howard remains one of the finest netminders in the league.
8. Newcastle United - Alan Pardew led the biggest surprise on the positive side in last year's season, but the bar has certainly been raised. Demba Ba unleashed an amazing scoring campaign and will be called on again to lead the attack for a squad that did not make many changes in the offseason. A mid-season transfer window pick up or two could do wonders for their upcoming season.
9. Fulham - like Arsenal, Fulham is in a bit of limbo with the uncertainty surrounding one of its biggest stars...in this case, Clint Dempsey who scored an amazing 23 goals last season. Dempsey looks to be all but gone to Liverpool, so Fulham must get more consistent contributions from the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Moussa Dembele.
10. Norwich City - the Canaries had a solid, mid-table return to the EPL last year. Led by Grant Holt and Steve Morison, they never were really in danger of relegation and that's about all you can hope for in the first year of an EPL tenure.
11. West Bromwich Albion - WBA finished last season about as strongly as any squad, and recent loan signing of Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku should help significantly if he comes in hungry and pairs up well with Peter Odemwingie.
12. Sunderland - coming off a solid campaign, Martin O'Neill looks to get Sunderland into the top half of the table led by youngsters in forward Nicklas Bendtner and winger James McClean. Transfer target Steven Fletcher from Wolves would be a great addition to its offensive attack.
13. Swansea City - the loss of manager Brendan Rogers to Liverpool is significant, but Swansea still has some serious talent up front with Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham.
14. Southampton - promoted side finished second in the Championship last year, but had the highest goal differential and possesses a potent attack led by Richard Lambert, who scored 29 goals in all competitions last season. Adam Lallana is a young midfielder to watch.
15. Reading - last year's Championship winner is a more conservative side than Southampton, relying more on its defense, solid goalkeeper Adam Federici, and balanced scoring to lead the way. Young forward Adam Le Fondre is someone to keep an eye on, as he scored 12 goals in 16 games for Reading after being picked up from Rotherham United in League Two.
16. Stoke City - Peter Crouch and the Potters sounds like a bluegrass band, but that's what Stoke City (nicknamed the Potters) often looks to offensively, with the 6' 7" forward posing a great threat on set pieces. Stoke needs an influx of young talent and its aging squad could be in trouble late in the season in what should be another closely packed group at the bottom of the table fighting to stave off relegation.
17. Wigan Athletic - it seems every year that Roberto Martinez puts in a yeoman effort to keep Wigan in the Premier League. Wigan entered the EPL in 2005 for the first time in club history and has remained there ever since, but this looks like another year where it will be a challenge to stay in the top tier.
18. Aston Villa - The Villains are a squad in peril, having reported to lose £53.9 million last season and barely avoiding relegation. Villa is one of the founding members of the Premier League, but this might spell the end of their time in the league for a while unless owner Randy Lerner can finalize his sale of the NFL's Cleveland Browns quickly and pour his profit from that transaction into the squad. Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor lead a decent offensive attack that could make some noise if Lerner can spend some money and bring in good talent behind the forwards.
19. West Ham United - the third of the promoted sides, West Ham has some scorers up front in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan and could make a run at staying up in the EPL, but its back is suspect with Robert Green in goal and some suspects in front of him.
20. Queens Park Rangers - QPR's season ended in high drama, as they blew a late lead to Manchester City that gave City the EPL regular season crown. Enigmatic Joey Barton was red carded in that match, likely his final one for QPR due to a series of issues both on and off the field. QPR showed some pride late last season by winning five straight home wins and solidifying its return to the EPL, but this year I can't see them staying up.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
World Football Challenge Kicks Off on Wednesday
Recent weeks have been slow in international soccer ever since Spain closed out Euro 2012 with a thorough dismantling of Italy in the final. As the major European leagues begin training for the coming season, a number of outstanding exhibition matches are coming up on North American soil as part of the Herbalife World Football Challenge. This exhibition tournament features some of the best clubs in Europe and a few MLS squads. All nine matches in the tournament will be televised in English in the US, and all but one will be shown live. Here is the schedule:
July 21 - Toronto FC v Liverpool FC (4 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Toronto, Canada
One of the newer teams in the MLS will host Liverpool, which is coming off a disappointing season but remains a popular team throughout the world.
July 22 - Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain (7 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in New York City, New York
The first of two matches in Yankee Stadium, Chelsea will take on PSG, which is a perennial contender in France's top league and is making significant roster upgrades to contend in the upcoming season's Champions League.
July 28 - Chelsea FC v AC Milan (6 pm ET on ESPN2) in Miami, Florida
Chelsea continues its trek across the US by taking on one of Italy's best clubs.
July 28 - D.C. United v Paris Saint-Germain (7:30 pm ET - tape delay on Fox Soccer at 10 pm) in Washington, DC
Aug. 2 - LA Galaxy v Real Madrid (10:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Carson, California near Los Angeles
Last year's MLS champions have struggled a bit this season, but they had better be in top form as they host Cristiano Ronaldo's Real squad, semifinalists in last season's Champions League.
Aug. 5 - Real Madrid v Santos Laguna (11 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Las Vegas, Nevada
Real will take on the defending champions of Mexico in what should be a spirited Sin City environment.
Aug. 8 - Real Madrid v AC Milan (8 pm ET on ESPN2) in New York City, New York
July 18 - Seattle Sounders FC v Chelsea FC (9:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Seattle, Washington
One of the most popular teams in the US, the Sounders and their passionate fan base will host Chelsea, winners of this past year's Champions League.
One of the most popular teams in the US, the Sounders and their passionate fan base will host Chelsea, winners of this past year's Champions League.
July 21 - Toronto FC v Liverpool FC (4 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Toronto, Canada
One of the newer teams in the MLS will host Liverpool, which is coming off a disappointing season but remains a popular team throughout the world.
July 22 - Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain (7 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in New York City, New York
The first of two matches in Yankee Stadium, Chelsea will take on PSG, which is a perennial contender in France's top league and is making significant roster upgrades to contend in the upcoming season's Champions League.
July 28 - Chelsea FC v AC Milan (6 pm ET on ESPN2) in Miami, Florida
Chelsea continues its trek across the US by taking on one of Italy's best clubs.
July 28 - D.C. United v Paris Saint-Germain (7:30 pm ET - tape delay on Fox Soccer at 10 pm) in Washington, DC
DC United has been one of the top teams in the MLS this season, so they will likely not be an easy draw for PSG in its second and final WFC match.
Aug. 2 - LA Galaxy v Real Madrid (10:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Carson, California near Los Angeles
Last year's MLS champions have struggled a bit this season, but they had better be in top form as they host Cristiano Ronaldo's Real squad, semifinalists in last season's Champions League.
Aug. 5 - Real Madrid v Santos Laguna (11 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Las Vegas, Nevada
Real will take on the defending champions of Mexico in what should be a spirited Sin City environment.
Aug. 8 - Real Madrid v AC Milan (8 pm ET on ESPN2) in New York City, New York
Real and Milan have been two of Europe's best clubs in recent years, so this is a classic waiting to happen in Yankee Stadium.
Aug. 11 - Real Madrid v Celtic FC (1:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug. 11 - Real Madrid v Celtic FC (1:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The final match in this tournament pits Real against the defending champions of the Scottish Premier League.
*Also of note, the MLS All-Star Team will once again take on a top-flight European club in its All-Star Game, facing Chelsea on July 25 at 8:30 pm in Chester, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia (televised on ESPN2).
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Euro 2012 Final Preview: Spain vs. Italy
Three weeks ago, Spain and Italy battled to a 1-1 draw to begin the 2012 European Championships. Spain entered the tournament as defending champion and favorite, while Italy came in under a cloud of controversy and uncertainty. The match was as entertaining as it was close, and gave many fans hope for a spirited tournament...which has certainly been the case. Later this afternoon the two storied soccer clubs will meet in a rematch, this time for the title (2:30 et, ESPN).
Spain has seemed a bit flat in this tournament, relying more on possesssion and stingy defense in its run to repeat as champions. In fact, the only goal Spain has conceded in this tournament was to Italy in the aforementioned tournament opener. Spain has played most of this tournament without a true striker, choosing to deploy Cesc Fabregas up front while keeping Fernando Torres out of the starting 11. This strategy nearly backfired in the semifinals against Portugal, as the rivals battled to a scoreless draw that Spain won in penalty kicks.
Italy comes off what has to be considered the most impressive victory for any club in this year's tournament, a 2-1 defeat of Germany in the semifinals that featured two world-class goals from ultra-talented, but often enigmatic, forward Mario Balotelli. The Azzurri feature two of the world's best players over the past decade in goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Some critics were saying Buffon and Pirlo were well past their prime, going so far as suggesting this tournament could be the final major international tournament for both. Instead, Buffon has been stellar and Pirlo has been the key to Italy's superior possession game all tournament long.
I look for this matchup to start slowly, with both teams trying to dictate possession with their strong midfields. Italy will likely try to get the ball to Balotelli early to see if they can get a quick strike and force Spain to play a more aggressive style to open up for the counterattack. Look for Spain to once again bring Torres in as a substitute in the second half for a change of pace, especially if they are down.
Prediction: Balotelli scores an early goal, Spain ties it up in the second half, and this one goes to penalty kicks with Spain successfully defending its title.
Spain has seemed a bit flat in this tournament, relying more on possesssion and stingy defense in its run to repeat as champions. In fact, the only goal Spain has conceded in this tournament was to Italy in the aforementioned tournament opener. Spain has played most of this tournament without a true striker, choosing to deploy Cesc Fabregas up front while keeping Fernando Torres out of the starting 11. This strategy nearly backfired in the semifinals against Portugal, as the rivals battled to a scoreless draw that Spain won in penalty kicks.
Italy comes off what has to be considered the most impressive victory for any club in this year's tournament, a 2-1 defeat of Germany in the semifinals that featured two world-class goals from ultra-talented, but often enigmatic, forward Mario Balotelli. The Azzurri feature two of the world's best players over the past decade in goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Some critics were saying Buffon and Pirlo were well past their prime, going so far as suggesting this tournament could be the final major international tournament for both. Instead, Buffon has been stellar and Pirlo has been the key to Italy's superior possession game all tournament long.
I look for this matchup to start slowly, with both teams trying to dictate possession with their strong midfields. Italy will likely try to get the ball to Balotelli early to see if they can get a quick strike and force Spain to play a more aggressive style to open up for the counterattack. Look for Spain to once again bring Torres in as a substitute in the second half for a change of pace, especially if they are down.
Prediction: Balotelli scores an early goal, Spain ties it up in the second half, and this one goes to penalty kicks with Spain successfully defending its title.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
USMNT Draws with Guatemala in World Cup Qualifier
The USMNT played on the road for the first time in the qualifying season for World Cup 2014 tonight, drawing 1-1 with Guatemala. The match featured a first-half goal from Clint Dempsey for the US, a second-half goal for the stars and stripes nullified by a poorly timed whistle, a late goal for the hosts off a very well-taken free kick, and some stellar saves from Tim Howard to preserve the draw for the Americans.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Clint Dempsey continues to lead the offense with stellar play
On a night where Herculez Gomez was unimpressive and Jozy Altidore's limited minutes will be remembered by a missed opportunity off a great feed from Michael Bradley, Dempsey's effort was a big key to earning a point tonight. Not only did he score his goal off a brilliant sidestep move, but he created two other golden chances by drawing fouls just outside the box. The "most dangerous player" torch has officially been passed from Landon Donovan to Dempsey and Deuce isn't likely to let it go anytime soon.
2. Tim Howard saved the day
There is no more stable position in world soccer right now than that of the netminder for the USMNT. Howard has been a rock for years now, so his efforts are sometimes underappreciated. For those of you who were unable to watch tonight's match, I cannot stress to you enough how important Mr. Reliable was to gaining the point. He made some spectacular saves and cannot be blamed for the Guatemalan goal because the free kick went right over the wall and didn't seem enter Howard's line of sight until it was too late to stop it from hitting the back of the net.
3. The US sits atop Group A at four points
Through two qualifying matches, the US and Jamaica both have four points, but the US leads the group based on goal differential. Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda each now have one point. The next round of qualifying begins in September, when Jamaica hosts the US and then plays the return match in Columbus, while Guatemala hosts A&B and then plays there. As a reminder, the top two teams in this group will advance to the final round of World Cup 2014 qualifying. The US and Jamaica were considered the top two teams in this group coming into this semifinal round of qualifying, so these upcoming matches should be very entertaining.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Clint Dempsey continues to lead the offense with stellar play
On a night where Herculez Gomez was unimpressive and Jozy Altidore's limited minutes will be remembered by a missed opportunity off a great feed from Michael Bradley, Dempsey's effort was a big key to earning a point tonight. Not only did he score his goal off a brilliant sidestep move, but he created two other golden chances by drawing fouls just outside the box. The "most dangerous player" torch has officially been passed from Landon Donovan to Dempsey and Deuce isn't likely to let it go anytime soon.
2. Tim Howard saved the day
There is no more stable position in world soccer right now than that of the netminder for the USMNT. Howard has been a rock for years now, so his efforts are sometimes underappreciated. For those of you who were unable to watch tonight's match, I cannot stress to you enough how important Mr. Reliable was to gaining the point. He made some spectacular saves and cannot be blamed for the Guatemalan goal because the free kick went right over the wall and didn't seem enter Howard's line of sight until it was too late to stop it from hitting the back of the net.
3. The US sits atop Group A at four points
Through two qualifying matches, the US and Jamaica both have four points, but the US leads the group based on goal differential. Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda each now have one point. The next round of qualifying begins in September, when Jamaica hosts the US and then plays the return match in Columbus, while Guatemala hosts A&B and then plays there. As a reminder, the top two teams in this group will advance to the final round of World Cup 2014 qualifying. The US and Jamaica were considered the top two teams in this group coming into this semifinal round of qualifying, so these upcoming matches should be very entertaining.
Friday, June 8, 2012
USMNT Wins World Cup Qualification Opener
The USMNT defeated Antigua and Barbuda by a 3-1 score earlier this evening to begin the semifinal round of World Cup Qualifying. Along with the US and A&B, Jamaica and Guatemala make up Group A. The top two teams in each of three groups will qualify for the final round of WCQ. Teams will each play each other twice, once on the road and once at home, and the two teams with the most points (three for a win, one for a draw) will advance.
Despite the victory, tonight's match did not leave me with a great taste in my mouth. The US started off well, with a Carlos Bocanegra header putting them on the board early. A late first-half penalty kick by Clint Dempsey gave the boys a 2-0 lead and things looked fairly comfortable. A&B kept it recently close despite giving up more than a dozen corner kicks and they capitalized on a poor play by substitute centerback Oguchi Onyewu to make it a game. Herculez Gomez closed out the scoring with what can only be called an "effort goal," as he and Michael Bradley fought through the packed in defense to get the ball in a spot for Gomez to tap the ball into the open net.
My three positive takes from tonight:
1. Herculez Gomez impressed once again
Gomez not only scored the third goal of the night for the US, but he also came very close to tallying goals on two other occasions in the second half. His header was expertly saved by the A&B keeper and his rocket off a nice feed from Landon Donovan smacked the crossbar. Gomez also came back to the midfield area and contributed solid defense throughout the night. He is certainly pushing Jozy Altidore for playing time and will not give up his starting spot easily.
2. Carlos Bocanegra and Clarence Goodson gave solid performances
Goodson was the man of the match in the draw at Canada and Bocanegra was my man of the match tonight. Not only did Bocanegra score the first goal, but he came very close to assisting on a second-half goal and solidified the backfield both as a centerback and then at left back after an ankle injury forced Jose Torres to leave the match. With injuries to Fabian Johnson and Edgar Castillo, it looks like Bocanegra will have to play left back in Tuesday's qualifier, which will put more pressure on Goodson to hold down the fort in the middle of the defense. Hopefully we have seen the last of Onyewu, as he looks slow and has made some very poor decisions. Look for Geoff Cameron to be paired with Goodson in front of Tim Howard on Tuesday.
3. Terrence Boyd is cap tied
Boyd is a talented 21-year old forward who currently plays for a second division club in Germany and holds dual citizenship in Germany and the US, so coming into tonight's match he was still eligible to play for either country. After tonight's appearance in an official international competition, Boyd can only play for the US - what is known by FIFA rules as "cap tied." Boyd's development will be closely watched, as he should be paired up front with Altidore after the Dempsey/Donovan era ends (which will likely happen after the 2014 World Cup).
Qualifying resumes on Tuesday night, as the US travels to Guatemala in what should be a rather hostile environment.
Despite the victory, tonight's match did not leave me with a great taste in my mouth. The US started off well, with a Carlos Bocanegra header putting them on the board early. A late first-half penalty kick by Clint Dempsey gave the boys a 2-0 lead and things looked fairly comfortable. A&B kept it recently close despite giving up more than a dozen corner kicks and they capitalized on a poor play by substitute centerback Oguchi Onyewu to make it a game. Herculez Gomez closed out the scoring with what can only be called an "effort goal," as he and Michael Bradley fought through the packed in defense to get the ball in a spot for Gomez to tap the ball into the open net.
My three positive takes from tonight:
1. Herculez Gomez impressed once again
Gomez not only scored the third goal of the night for the US, but he also came very close to tallying goals on two other occasions in the second half. His header was expertly saved by the A&B keeper and his rocket off a nice feed from Landon Donovan smacked the crossbar. Gomez also came back to the midfield area and contributed solid defense throughout the night. He is certainly pushing Jozy Altidore for playing time and will not give up his starting spot easily.
2. Carlos Bocanegra and Clarence Goodson gave solid performances
Goodson was the man of the match in the draw at Canada and Bocanegra was my man of the match tonight. Not only did Bocanegra score the first goal, but he came very close to assisting on a second-half goal and solidified the backfield both as a centerback and then at left back after an ankle injury forced Jose Torres to leave the match. With injuries to Fabian Johnson and Edgar Castillo, it looks like Bocanegra will have to play left back in Tuesday's qualifier, which will put more pressure on Goodson to hold down the fort in the middle of the defense. Hopefully we have seen the last of Onyewu, as he looks slow and has made some very poor decisions. Look for Geoff Cameron to be paired with Goodson in front of Tim Howard on Tuesday.
3. Terrence Boyd is cap tied
Boyd is a talented 21-year old forward who currently plays for a second division club in Germany and holds dual citizenship in Germany and the US, so coming into tonight's match he was still eligible to play for either country. After tonight's appearance in an official international competition, Boyd can only play for the US - what is known by FIFA rules as "cap tied." Boyd's development will be closely watched, as he should be paired up front with Altidore after the Dempsey/Donovan era ends (which will likely happen after the 2014 World Cup).
Qualifying resumes on Tuesday night, as the US travels to Guatemala in what should be a rather hostile environment.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Euro 2012 Preview and Predictions
We are less than 24 hours from the start of the year's most exciting and entertaining soccer tournament, Euro 2012. 16 of Europe's best national teams will play for a title that is contested every four years. ESPN's family of networks will carry every match of this year's tournament, which is being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.
Below are my previews and predictions for each group in the order I see them finishing, and my predictions all the way to the final. Each country's FIFA World Ranking is in parentheses.
Group A - Russia (13), Czech Republic (27), Poland (62), Greece (15)
Russia is the class of this group and is coming off an impressive 3-0 thumping of Italy in a recent tuneup friendly. Czech Republic is widely seen as being on the down swing, but its veteran squad might be up for one last run. Poland and Greece kickoff the tournament Friday, and Poland will likely ride the home crowd support to an early victory to put Greece in trouble from the get go...but much like South Africa in the 2010 World Cup that wave of emotion will not last long enough.
Group B - Germany (3), Netherlands (4), Portugal (10), Denmark (9)
Undoubtedly the best group in this competition. Germany has a very young and talented squad with some of the finest players in this tournament and one of the most talented goalkeepers in the world. Netherlands fields a strong and balanced squad, but they will be challenged by Portugal and Denmark. Don't look for many blowouts in this group. If Cristiano Ronaldo can get into some open space in the Netherlands-Portugal match, they can pull off an upset and throw the entire tournament for a loop. In the end, I think this group will mostly go as the rankings dictate.
Group C - Spain (1), Italy (12), Croatia (8), Ireland (18)
Defending champion Spain is the class of the tournament and none of its groupmates compete with their firepower on paper. Italy is dealing with another match-fixing scandal, but they rallied together and overcame similar off-field issues to win the 2006 World Cup. There is no doubt they will try to leverage a similar "Us against the World" mantra. Croatia could be the cinderella story of the tournament if they can beat a tough Ireland squad in the first match.
Group D - England (6), France (14), Ukraine (52), Sweden (17)
England and France both have undergone heavy turnover since the last World Cup, changing coaches and operating philosophies. The top spot will be heavily contested; England has looked good since Roy Hodgson took over the reins and the French are out for some vindication after an embarrassing 2010 World Cup. Co-host Ukraine could make life miserable for its groupmates, but I don't think have enough to advance past the group stage, and Sweden does not have enough starpower to keep up with the rest.
Quarterfinals
Netherlands over Russia - Russia will play a pack it in and counterattack style against the high-caliber offense of the Dutch, but that won't work over 90 minutes.
Spain over France - France will give Spain a good match in the first half, but the second half will be too much for Les Blues to stop.
Germany over Czech Republic - The easiest draw of the quarterfinalists, Germany will have no trouble dismantling its opponent here.
Italy over England - What should be the closest match of the quarterfinals, though likely not the most entertaining given Italy's defensive-minded approach, will likely be won on penalty kicks.
Semifinals
Spain over Netherlands - This could be the most entertaining match of the tournament, as both squads love to run up and down the pitch and move the ball around with impressive speed and motion. We could easily see a 4-3, back and forth match, but in the end the best midfield in the world will win out.
Germany over Italy - These traditional rivals once again will play in a heated affair, but Italy does not have the offensive threats possessed by Germany and will not be able to keep up its defense-first mentality once Germany gets on the scoreboard.
Finals
Spain over Germany - You can't ask for much more than the first and third ranked teams in the world playing in this final (especially since the #2 team, Uruguay, is not in Europe!) so this would be a great way to decide the Euro 2012 champion. Both teams have great talent at forward, feature the two best midfields in the world, and have some holes in their defense which could lead to a high scoring final. If it comes down to which team is hungrier, that has to be Germany given their close calls to winning many international tournaments in recent years. But Spain's core has been through this before and that will carry the best team in the world to a repeat championship.
Please comment and share your predictions...and enjoy some great soccer over the next month!
Below are my previews and predictions for each group in the order I see them finishing, and my predictions all the way to the final. Each country's FIFA World Ranking is in parentheses.
Group A - Russia (13), Czech Republic (27), Poland (62), Greece (15)
Russia is the class of this group and is coming off an impressive 3-0 thumping of Italy in a recent tuneup friendly. Czech Republic is widely seen as being on the down swing, but its veteran squad might be up for one last run. Poland and Greece kickoff the tournament Friday, and Poland will likely ride the home crowd support to an early victory to put Greece in trouble from the get go...but much like South Africa in the 2010 World Cup that wave of emotion will not last long enough.
Group B - Germany (3), Netherlands (4), Portugal (10), Denmark (9)
Undoubtedly the best group in this competition. Germany has a very young and talented squad with some of the finest players in this tournament and one of the most talented goalkeepers in the world. Netherlands fields a strong and balanced squad, but they will be challenged by Portugal and Denmark. Don't look for many blowouts in this group. If Cristiano Ronaldo can get into some open space in the Netherlands-Portugal match, they can pull off an upset and throw the entire tournament for a loop. In the end, I think this group will mostly go as the rankings dictate.
Group C - Spain (1), Italy (12), Croatia (8), Ireland (18)
Defending champion Spain is the class of the tournament and none of its groupmates compete with their firepower on paper. Italy is dealing with another match-fixing scandal, but they rallied together and overcame similar off-field issues to win the 2006 World Cup. There is no doubt they will try to leverage a similar "Us against the World" mantra. Croatia could be the cinderella story of the tournament if they can beat a tough Ireland squad in the first match.
Group D - England (6), France (14), Ukraine (52), Sweden (17)
England and France both have undergone heavy turnover since the last World Cup, changing coaches and operating philosophies. The top spot will be heavily contested; England has looked good since Roy Hodgson took over the reins and the French are out for some vindication after an embarrassing 2010 World Cup. Co-host Ukraine could make life miserable for its groupmates, but I don't think have enough to advance past the group stage, and Sweden does not have enough starpower to keep up with the rest.
Quarterfinals
Netherlands over Russia - Russia will play a pack it in and counterattack style against the high-caliber offense of the Dutch, but that won't work over 90 minutes.
Spain over France - France will give Spain a good match in the first half, but the second half will be too much for Les Blues to stop.
Germany over Czech Republic - The easiest draw of the quarterfinalists, Germany will have no trouble dismantling its opponent here.
Italy over England - What should be the closest match of the quarterfinals, though likely not the most entertaining given Italy's defensive-minded approach, will likely be won on penalty kicks.
Semifinals
Spain over Netherlands - This could be the most entertaining match of the tournament, as both squads love to run up and down the pitch and move the ball around with impressive speed and motion. We could easily see a 4-3, back and forth match, but in the end the best midfield in the world will win out.
Germany over Italy - These traditional rivals once again will play in a heated affair, but Italy does not have the offensive threats possessed by Germany and will not be able to keep up its defense-first mentality once Germany gets on the scoreboard.
Finals
Spain over Germany - You can't ask for much more than the first and third ranked teams in the world playing in this final (especially since the #2 team, Uruguay, is not in Europe!) so this would be a great way to decide the Euro 2012 champion. Both teams have great talent at forward, feature the two best midfields in the world, and have some holes in their defense which could lead to a high scoring final. If it comes down to which team is hungrier, that has to be Germany given their close calls to winning many international tournaments in recent years. But Spain's core has been through this before and that will carry the best team in the world to a repeat championship.
Please comment and share your predictions...and enjoy some great soccer over the next month!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
USMNT Draws with Canada in Final Tuneup Before World Cup Qualifying
The USMNT played a scoreless draw against Canada this evening in its final tuneup before World Cup Qualifying begins later this week. The match didn't feature nearly the excitement of the last two friendlies - a blowout win over Scotland and an entertaining defeat at the hands of Brazil where the US could not capitalize on many opportunities. The US mostly looked like an uninspired group tonight, likely due to fatigue as a result of this being their third match in nine days.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Clarence Goodson solidified his place in the starting lineup with a stellar performance
There is no doubt who the man of the match was tonight. Clarence Goodson watched as Geoff Cameron and Oguchi Onyewu struggled at centerback alongside captain Carlos Bocanegra in the past two games. Goodson shined in the US victory against Italy in February, but had not seen much action on the national team since. Tonight, Goodson showed poise in the backfield and came closest to scoring, as his header in stoppage time forced the save of the night from Canada's goalkeeper. Klinsmann should partner Goodson with Bocanegra at centerback for the upcoming qualifiers.
2. Jozy Altidore finally got onto the pitchThe drama surrounding Jozy Altidore's release from his Dutch club team to suit up for the USMNT is finally over, as he joined the squad for training a few days ago. He came on as a substitute in the second half tonight and looked active with a few touches and releases down the pitch despite a lack of significant ball movement from the midfield. It will be interesting to see the starting lineup Klinsmann uses in the qualifiers, as Altidore could start or be used as a substitute forward to spell Herculez Gomez.
3. The friendlies are over and World Cup Qualifying begins Friday
Even the most committed fans of the USMNT have to admit that they are over these international friendlies and ready for real, compeitive matches that truly mean something. You got the sense Klinsmann felt that way tonight when he substituted out Landon Donovan in the second half. No way does Klinsmann take out one of his top players in a scoreless match when it counts. We should see a different level of passion and commitment from this team on Friday when they take on Antigua and Barbuda in the first qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Clarence Goodson solidified his place in the starting lineup with a stellar performance
There is no doubt who the man of the match was tonight. Clarence Goodson watched as Geoff Cameron and Oguchi Onyewu struggled at centerback alongside captain Carlos Bocanegra in the past two games. Goodson shined in the US victory against Italy in February, but had not seen much action on the national team since. Tonight, Goodson showed poise in the backfield and came closest to scoring, as his header in stoppage time forced the save of the night from Canada's goalkeeper. Klinsmann should partner Goodson with Bocanegra at centerback for the upcoming qualifiers.
2. Jozy Altidore finally got onto the pitchThe drama surrounding Jozy Altidore's release from his Dutch club team to suit up for the USMNT is finally over, as he joined the squad for training a few days ago. He came on as a substitute in the second half tonight and looked active with a few touches and releases down the pitch despite a lack of significant ball movement from the midfield. It will be interesting to see the starting lineup Klinsmann uses in the qualifiers, as Altidore could start or be used as a substitute forward to spell Herculez Gomez.
3. The friendlies are over and World Cup Qualifying begins Friday
Even the most committed fans of the USMNT have to admit that they are over these international friendlies and ready for real, compeitive matches that truly mean something. You got the sense Klinsmann felt that way tonight when he substituted out Landon Donovan in the second half. No way does Klinsmann take out one of his top players in a scoreless match when it counts. We should see a different level of passion and commitment from this team on Friday when they take on Antigua and Barbuda in the first qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Glimmers of Hope in USMNT Loss to Brazil
The USMNT lost a 4-1 friendly to Brazil in front of more than 67,000 fans at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, tonight. While the scoreline isn't good news, there were some things to be optimistic about from tonight's World Cup qualifying tune-up. The US certainly created some scoring chances, including a header off the crossbar and a handful of other shots that forced spectacular saves from Brazilian goalkeeper Rafael.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. The USMNT looks to have found its left back of the future in Fabian Johnson
Coming into this five-match stretch for the US, much of the news surrounding the defensemen was negative due to Timmy Chandler turning down an invitation to camp. It is widely believed Chandler is hoping for an invitation to play for the German national team, as his father is American and mother is German. Once a player plays in an official competition (non-friendly) then that player cannot switch national team allegiance. Chandler has only played in friendlies for the US, so he could still switch to Germany if he is invited to play for them. With qualifying matches looming, Chandler's choice is suspicious, yet predictable.
Chandler's absence has opened the door for Fabian Johnson, a 24-year old who plays for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Johnson has sparked the US at left back over the last two matches. Tonight, he earned an assist on Herculez Gomez's goal and helped in created other scoring chances. Johnson plays with flair and is very offensive-minded, not surprising considering he has played significant minutes in the midfield for Hoffenheim. Left back has been a weak point for the US in recent years, so Johnson's continued rise will be critical to the future of this club moving forward as Jurgen Klinsmann prefers outside backs that are able to push the attack.
2. Michael Bradley continues to be a major contributor in the midfield
I applauded Bradley's effort against Scotland, though understandably he was overshadowed by Landon Donovan's hat-trick night. Against Brazil, Bradley once again was effective, though he was deployed in a more defensive-minded position than in the previous match. When Bradley was able to advance up the pitch he was a significant factor, including his service to Johnson that led to the Gomez goal. Bradley also had a solid header saved by Brazil's keeper. It is easy to forget that Bradley is still only 24 years old. There is no doubt he is becoming a leader on this team and could see many suitors for his club team services before the upcoming season.
3. Herculez Gomez shows flashes of a top-flight striker
The forward position for the US looked to be in good hands in recent weeks, as Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore posted significant scoring seasons in the EPL and top Dutch league, respectively. Lost in the shuffle, however, was the amazing run of Herculez Gomez. Gomez was sold to Santos Laguna in Mexico's top league six months ago, and he proceeded to go on a run of 11 goals over 12 matches helping lead his team to the second-half league championship and runner-up in the CONCACAF Champions League. Gomez impressed tonight, scoring a goal and nearly assisting Clint Dempsey on one of many scoring chances thwarted by the Brazilian goalkeeper. He could press for playing time in qualifying matches, maybe as a substitute for Altidore when the US needs more energy as Altidore rarely is able to give a full 90 at a high work rate.
Again, there were some positive signs from tonight's loss. It will be interesting to see how the US reacts in its next match this Sunday vs Canada in Toronto, the final tune-up before qualifying for the 2014 World Cup begins on June 8.
Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. The USMNT looks to have found its left back of the future in Fabian Johnson
Coming into this five-match stretch for the US, much of the news surrounding the defensemen was negative due to Timmy Chandler turning down an invitation to camp. It is widely believed Chandler is hoping for an invitation to play for the German national team, as his father is American and mother is German. Once a player plays in an official competition (non-friendly) then that player cannot switch national team allegiance. Chandler has only played in friendlies for the US, so he could still switch to Germany if he is invited to play for them. With qualifying matches looming, Chandler's choice is suspicious, yet predictable.
Chandler's absence has opened the door for Fabian Johnson, a 24-year old who plays for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Johnson has sparked the US at left back over the last two matches. Tonight, he earned an assist on Herculez Gomez's goal and helped in created other scoring chances. Johnson plays with flair and is very offensive-minded, not surprising considering he has played significant minutes in the midfield for Hoffenheim. Left back has been a weak point for the US in recent years, so Johnson's continued rise will be critical to the future of this club moving forward as Jurgen Klinsmann prefers outside backs that are able to push the attack.
2. Michael Bradley continues to be a major contributor in the midfield
I applauded Bradley's effort against Scotland, though understandably he was overshadowed by Landon Donovan's hat-trick night. Against Brazil, Bradley once again was effective, though he was deployed in a more defensive-minded position than in the previous match. When Bradley was able to advance up the pitch he was a significant factor, including his service to Johnson that led to the Gomez goal. Bradley also had a solid header saved by Brazil's keeper. It is easy to forget that Bradley is still only 24 years old. There is no doubt he is becoming a leader on this team and could see many suitors for his club team services before the upcoming season.
3. Herculez Gomez shows flashes of a top-flight striker
The forward position for the US looked to be in good hands in recent weeks, as Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore posted significant scoring seasons in the EPL and top Dutch league, respectively. Lost in the shuffle, however, was the amazing run of Herculez Gomez. Gomez was sold to Santos Laguna in Mexico's top league six months ago, and he proceeded to go on a run of 11 goals over 12 matches helping lead his team to the second-half league championship and runner-up in the CONCACAF Champions League. Gomez impressed tonight, scoring a goal and nearly assisting Clint Dempsey on one of many scoring chances thwarted by the Brazilian goalkeeper. He could press for playing time in qualifying matches, maybe as a substitute for Altidore when the US needs more energy as Altidore rarely is able to give a full 90 at a high work rate.
Again, there were some positive signs from tonight's loss. It will be interesting to see how the US reacts in its next match this Sunday vs Canada in Toronto, the final tune-up before qualifying for the 2014 World Cup begins on June 8.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Donovan Hat Trick Leads USMNT Over Scotland
The USMNT defeated Scotland, 5-1, in an international friendly this evening. More than 44,000 packed the stands in Jacksonville, FL, and they and the rest of us fans of the stars and strips were treated to some of the most entertaining soccer played by the US in many years. Here are my quick takes on tonight's match:
Landon Donovan makes this team a LOT better - Despite missing two of its best scoring options (Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey both did not suit up but should be in the lineup before World Cup Qualifying starts in June), the US offense played a very open and attacking style. Much of that was due to Donovan's presence on the right wing for the first time in eight months. Donovan scored three times and had an assist, and he was around the ball often. The US's best strategy moving forward is the 4-3-3 formation they employed tonight, with Donovan on the right wing and placing Dempsey on the left wing and Altidore up top. That lineup will be quite formidable.
The key to USMNT success is in the midfield - While many will talk about Donovan's return to the lineup, you cannot say enough good things about the play of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones in the midfield tonight. They controlled possession for long stretches of the first 60 minutes when the match was still up for grabs. Both Bradley and Jones also tallied goals, with Bradley's golazo in the first half ranking up there with one of the best goals we have seen from an American in quite a while, and Jones heading home a beautiful cross from Donovan. Bradley and Jones both also were credited with assists on Donovan goals. This midfield tandem will be crucial to the upcoming World Cup qualifying run.
Confidence is building with Brazil on the horizon - The US dominated all aspects of tonight's match against a decent Scotland squad. Next up for the stars and stripes is Brazil on Wednesday, which will come in with much more talent and technical skill. There is no doubt the US is riding a nice wave of positive momentum, and we could see Altidore, Dempsey, and Donovan on the field together for the first time in the Jurgen Klinsmann era. Tonight's entertaining victory only added to the energy building toward the USA-Brazil friendly.
Landon Donovan makes this team a LOT better - Despite missing two of its best scoring options (Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey both did not suit up but should be in the lineup before World Cup Qualifying starts in June), the US offense played a very open and attacking style. Much of that was due to Donovan's presence on the right wing for the first time in eight months. Donovan scored three times and had an assist, and he was around the ball often. The US's best strategy moving forward is the 4-3-3 formation they employed tonight, with Donovan on the right wing and placing Dempsey on the left wing and Altidore up top. That lineup will be quite formidable.
The key to USMNT success is in the midfield - While many will talk about Donovan's return to the lineup, you cannot say enough good things about the play of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones in the midfield tonight. They controlled possession for long stretches of the first 60 minutes when the match was still up for grabs. Both Bradley and Jones also tallied goals, with Bradley's golazo in the first half ranking up there with one of the best goals we have seen from an American in quite a while, and Jones heading home a beautiful cross from Donovan. Bradley and Jones both also were credited with assists on Donovan goals. This midfield tandem will be crucial to the upcoming World Cup qualifying run.
Confidence is building with Brazil on the horizon - The US dominated all aspects of tonight's match against a decent Scotland squad. Next up for the stars and stripes is Brazil on Wednesday, which will come in with much more talent and technical skill. There is no doubt the US is riding a nice wave of positive momentum, and we could see Altidore, Dempsey, and Donovan on the field together for the first time in the Jurgen Klinsmann era. Tonight's entertaining victory only added to the energy building toward the USA-Brazil friendly.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
USMNT Gearing Up For World Cup Qualifying
The USMNT is currently training for a grueling stretch of five matches in two and a half weeks that includes three friendlies and the first two matches of semifinal round qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. For the first time in Jurgen Klinsmann's tenure as head coach of the squad, the roster is filled with most of the top American players. Below I look at the five upcoming matches, as well as my preferred starting lineup with this group.
Upcoming Schedule:
May 26 vs Scotland in Jacksonville, FL (8 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Galavision)
The first test for the Stars & Stripes is the 48th ranked squad in the world. Scotland has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, but it boasts many players on the roster of top-flight teams and has a strong midfield, including captain Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) and Charlie Adam (Liverpool).
May 26 vs Brazil in Landover, MD (8 p.m. eastern, ESPN2, ESPN3, TeleFutura)
The biggest test for the Americans is likely to come from Brazil, which is ranked sixth in the world. Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup in 2014 as host and is the most successful team in the history of the World Cup with five trophies. Brazil is bringing a very talented squad to play in this match, so it should be a good barometer of where the U.S. is - and needs to be - in order to contend in 2014.
June 3 vs Canada in Toronto (7 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes)
The final tune-up before World Cup qualifying will be played against our friends from the north, currently ranked 74th in the world. Canada seems to be improving as a soccer nation, as evidenced by their win over the U.S. in Olympic qualifying, but this will be a big test for them on the senior national team level. The mapleleafs will be led by forward Dwayne De Rosario, a talented but enigmatic forward currently playing for D.C. United in MLS. De Rosario is tied atop the all-time scoring list in Canadian soccer history with 19 international goals.
June 8 vs Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, FL (7 p.m. eastern, ESPN, ESPN3, Galavision)
The semifinal round of World Cup qualifying begins at home for the U.S. against Antigua & Barbuda, ranked 84th in the world. A&B has never qualified for the World Cup and does not have anyone on their roster playing in a top-flight league, so the U.S. will look to build confidence and start the round off strong here.
June 12 vs Guatemala in Guatemala City (10 p.m. eastern, pay-per-view)
The 89th ranked team in the world does not pose much of a challenge on paper, but it is always difficult to win a World Cup qualifier on the road. Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup, but they have advanced to the final round of qualification four times. The most well known player for Guatemala is its captain and all-time leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, who was a successful forward in the MLS for years.
Roster:
Below is the full U.S. roster called up for these matches as of today, with club teams in parentheses. Though I think many on this roster should be given significant playing time during this stretch of matches, I have bolded the 11 players I think Klinsmann should put in the starting line-up for the first WCQ match on June 8:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Upcoming Schedule:
May 26 vs Scotland in Jacksonville, FL (8 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Galavision)
The first test for the Stars & Stripes is the 48th ranked squad in the world. Scotland has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, but it boasts many players on the roster of top-flight teams and has a strong midfield, including captain Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) and Charlie Adam (Liverpool).
May 26 vs Brazil in Landover, MD (8 p.m. eastern, ESPN2, ESPN3, TeleFutura)
The biggest test for the Americans is likely to come from Brazil, which is ranked sixth in the world. Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup in 2014 as host and is the most successful team in the history of the World Cup with five trophies. Brazil is bringing a very talented squad to play in this match, so it should be a good barometer of where the U.S. is - and needs to be - in order to contend in 2014.
June 3 vs Canada in Toronto (7 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes)
The final tune-up before World Cup qualifying will be played against our friends from the north, currently ranked 74th in the world. Canada seems to be improving as a soccer nation, as evidenced by their win over the U.S. in Olympic qualifying, but this will be a big test for them on the senior national team level. The mapleleafs will be led by forward Dwayne De Rosario, a talented but enigmatic forward currently playing for D.C. United in MLS. De Rosario is tied atop the all-time scoring list in Canadian soccer history with 19 international goals.
June 8 vs Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, FL (7 p.m. eastern, ESPN, ESPN3, Galavision)
The semifinal round of World Cup qualifying begins at home for the U.S. against Antigua & Barbuda, ranked 84th in the world. A&B has never qualified for the World Cup and does not have anyone on their roster playing in a top-flight league, so the U.S. will look to build confidence and start the round off strong here.
June 12 vs Guatemala in Guatemala City (10 p.m. eastern, pay-per-view)
The 89th ranked team in the world does not pose much of a challenge on paper, but it is always difficult to win a World Cup qualifier on the road. Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup, but they have advanced to the final round of qualification four times. The most well known player for Guatemala is its captain and all-time leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, who was a successful forward in the MLS for years.
Roster:
Below is the full U.S. roster called up for these matches as of today, with club teams in parentheses. Though I think many on this roster should be given significant playing time during this stretch of matches, I have bolded the 11 players I think Klinsmann should put in the starting line-up for the first WCQ match on June 8:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (7): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
The way this line-up would shake out is basically as a 4-3-3 with Donovan and Dempsey as playmakers in front of the midfield, and Altidore sometimes alone up front as a holding forward to allow those two some room to make something happen.
GK: Howard
LB: Bocanegra
CB: Onyewu, Goodson
RB: Cherundolo
MF: Bradley, Jones, Edu
F: Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan
What are your thoughts about these upcoming matches? Who would you like to see get a shot in the starting XI?
The way this line-up would shake out is basically as a 4-3-3 with Donovan and Dempsey as playmakers in front of the midfield, and Altidore sometimes alone up front as a holding forward to allow those two some room to make something happen.
GK: Howard
LB: Bocanegra
CB: Onyewu, Goodson
RB: Cherundolo
MF: Bradley, Jones, Edu
F: Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan
What are your thoughts about these upcoming matches? Who would you like to see get a shot in the starting XI?
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Champions League Final Preview: Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
One of soccer's most important tournaments will be decided today at 2:30 pm eastern, as Bayern Munich hosts Chelsea in a match televised in the U.S. on Fox. Hundreds of millions of viewers from around the world are expected to tune in to this annual "Super Bowl of European Soccer."
Bayern Munich is Germany's most storied club, going for its fifth Champions League title. Its 70,000 seat arena was chosen to host this year's final well before Bayern qualified for the championship match, so it is an amazing story that they are hosting in the final. Bayern's path to the final was a convincing quarterfinal defeat of Marseille and a tough win over Real Madrid in penalty kicks in the semifinals. Bayern finished its Bundesliga season in second place, so they have already secured a berth in next year's Champions League.
Chelsea has had a disappointing season, changing managers in the process, but they defeated Benfica in the quarterfinals and pulled off an upset of defending champion Barcelona in the semifinals. Chelsea has never won the Champons League title, and they will not be in next year's tournament unless they win the crown today due to their sixth place finish in the English Premier League.
Both clubs lose important players due to card suspensions, but the dismissal of Chelsea captain and defensive stalwart John Terry could prove to be the real difference in this matchup. Both clubs have some outstanding offensive threats, with Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery, and Arjen Robben leading a wide Bayern attack and Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, and enigma Fernando Torres leading the Chelsea charge...so defensive chemistry will be critical today. Terry's absence will certainly be felt early and often.
I predict that Bayern will ride the wave of emotion from its home crowd and win this final by a score of 2-1. The club that scores the first goal will likely win this one, as an early Bayern tally will get the crowd roaring, while a Chelsea goal could dampen the crowd's spirits and put pressure on the German side. It should be an entertaining finale.
Bayern Munich is Germany's most storied club, going for its fifth Champions League title. Its 70,000 seat arena was chosen to host this year's final well before Bayern qualified for the championship match, so it is an amazing story that they are hosting in the final. Bayern's path to the final was a convincing quarterfinal defeat of Marseille and a tough win over Real Madrid in penalty kicks in the semifinals. Bayern finished its Bundesliga season in second place, so they have already secured a berth in next year's Champions League.
Chelsea has had a disappointing season, changing managers in the process, but they defeated Benfica in the quarterfinals and pulled off an upset of defending champion Barcelona in the semifinals. Chelsea has never won the Champons League title, and they will not be in next year's tournament unless they win the crown today due to their sixth place finish in the English Premier League.
Both clubs lose important players due to card suspensions, but the dismissal of Chelsea captain and defensive stalwart John Terry could prove to be the real difference in this matchup. Both clubs have some outstanding offensive threats, with Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery, and Arjen Robben leading a wide Bayern attack and Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, and enigma Fernando Torres leading the Chelsea charge...so defensive chemistry will be critical today. Terry's absence will certainly be felt early and often.
I predict that Bayern will ride the wave of emotion from its home crowd and win this final by a score of 2-1. The club that scores the first goal will likely win this one, as an early Bayern tally will get the crowd roaring, while a Chelsea goal could dampen the crowd's spirits and put pressure on the German side. It should be an entertaining finale.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Miracle in Manchester Gives City the EPL Title!
For those of you who were not glued to your TV sets or computer screens this morning, it would be hard to do justice to the sheer emotion I felt watching the final Sunday in the English Premier League. As I discussed in recent posts this has been an exciting season in the EPL, and today's action would decide the championship, Champions League berths, and a relegation spot. Who would have known that all three would have been decided in a matter of just five minutes?
To set the stage...Manchester City and Manchester United came into today tied atop the table. City held the all-important goal differential tie-breaker, meaning a win would end their 44-year drought in winning the top league title. United needed to win and root for Queens Park Rangers to beat their cross-town rival; QPR was playing for something just as important - their survival in the top league. A win and they would remain in the EPL, while a loss or tie and they would risk relegation.
City took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. Early in the second half, QPR tied things up and the stress level for the Citizens skyrocketed. Moments later, QPR went down a man when often controversial Joey Barton was shown a red card for an embarrassing elbow, and all seemed in City's favor. QPR rallied after that incident and took a 2-1 lead. As the City-QPR match went into stoppage time, United finished off its victory over Sunderland and started hearing that City was down with just a few minutes remaing. Then the comeback heard around the sports world began.
Edin Dzeko headed in a corner kick two minutes into stoppage time, giving some life to the Manchester City crowd. Less than two minutes later, Sergio Aguero capitalized off some nice work from teammate Mario Balotelli to put one past the QPR keeper and set off chaos in the stands and on Twitter, where my soccer followers were screaming (non-capital letter tweets were rare) and non-soccer followers were asking why their Twitter feeds were filled with nonsense like "Amazing Aguero" and "Miracle in Manchester."
Other important items to note from today's EPL action:
1. QPR's loss was eased slightly by Bolton's tie, meaning QPR remains in the top league. Relegated teams are Bolton, Blackburn, and Wolverhampton.
2. Arsenal's victory clinched them third place and a berth in next year's Champions League along with City and United.
3. Tottenham finished fourth, meaning they will also be in the Champions League - unless Chelsea wins the CL title over Bayern Munich this coming Saturday and claims an automatic berth into next year's tournament.
We witnessed a sports miracle today - two goals in three minutes decided a major sports championship in the world's most popular sport. The number people I know who claim soccer is a boring sport has dwindled in recent years, but there are still quite a few out there. I challenge any of them to sit through a recording of today's EPL action and say with a straight face that they still believe it. All they need to do is watch those last five minutes of the City-QPR match and they will see that soccer is not only the world's most popular sport...it is also the most exciting.
To set the stage...Manchester City and Manchester United came into today tied atop the table. City held the all-important goal differential tie-breaker, meaning a win would end their 44-year drought in winning the top league title. United needed to win and root for Queens Park Rangers to beat their cross-town rival; QPR was playing for something just as important - their survival in the top league. A win and they would remain in the EPL, while a loss or tie and they would risk relegation.
City took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. Early in the second half, QPR tied things up and the stress level for the Citizens skyrocketed. Moments later, QPR went down a man when often controversial Joey Barton was shown a red card for an embarrassing elbow, and all seemed in City's favor. QPR rallied after that incident and took a 2-1 lead. As the City-QPR match went into stoppage time, United finished off its victory over Sunderland and started hearing that City was down with just a few minutes remaing. Then the comeback heard around the sports world began.
Edin Dzeko headed in a corner kick two minutes into stoppage time, giving some life to the Manchester City crowd. Less than two minutes later, Sergio Aguero capitalized off some nice work from teammate Mario Balotelli to put one past the QPR keeper and set off chaos in the stands and on Twitter, where my soccer followers were screaming (non-capital letter tweets were rare) and non-soccer followers were asking why their Twitter feeds were filled with nonsense like "Amazing Aguero" and "Miracle in Manchester."
Other important items to note from today's EPL action:
1. QPR's loss was eased slightly by Bolton's tie, meaning QPR remains in the top league. Relegated teams are Bolton, Blackburn, and Wolverhampton.
2. Arsenal's victory clinched them third place and a berth in next year's Champions League along with City and United.
3. Tottenham finished fourth, meaning they will also be in the Champions League - unless Chelsea wins the CL title over Bayern Munich this coming Saturday and claims an automatic berth into next year's tournament.
We witnessed a sports miracle today - two goals in three minutes decided a major sports championship in the world's most popular sport. The number people I know who claim soccer is a boring sport has dwindled in recent years, but there are still quite a few out there. I challenge any of them to sit through a recording of today's EPL action and say with a straight face that they still believe it. All they need to do is watch those last five minutes of the City-QPR match and they will see that soccer is not only the world's most popular sport...it is also the most exciting.
Monday, May 7, 2012
European Soccer Season Winds Down
Many of Europe's top soccer leagues wind down their seasons this weekend, though some have already ended. Of course, of the utmost importance in European soccer is firstly the league title...but a close second is a berth in the UEFA Champions League. Here is a breakdown of how things look at the top of each league table in arguably the best four leagues in the world of soccer:
England - Manchester City and Manchester United enter their last match of the season tied atop the table, but City owns a commanding lead in the goal differential tiebreaker. City finishes the season hosting a Queens Park Rangers squad that may need at least a draw to avoid relegation. United travels to Sunderland to take on a team in the middle of the table with little to play for. Assuming both win, City will take home its first league title in 44 years. Both City and United have secured their places in the Champions League. Champions League berths are also up for grabs with Arsenal (67 points), Tottenham Hotspur (66), and Newcastle United (65) vying for one or two spots (if Chelsea defeats Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on May 19, the Blues are guaranteed a chance to defend their title in next year's tournament and automatically take one of those spots).
Italy - Juventus ended a nine-year drought by clinching the Serie A title last weekend by virtue of their win and Inter Milan's victory over AC Milan. Juve and AC Milan have secured two of Italy's three Champions League berths, while the third one is Udinese's to lose. Should Udinese lose this weekend, Lazio or Napoli could sneak up and steal the spot.
Spain - Real Madrid held off Barcelona for the title, though both Champions League semifinalists have secured berths in next year's tournament. Valencia has also clinched a CL berth, with the fourth spot led by Malaga. Atletico Madrid, Levante, and Mallorca have slim hopes if Malaga slips up this weekend.
Germany - The Bundesliga season has completed, with Borussia Dortmund winning the title for the second year in a row. Bayern Munich is preparing to host the Champions League Final next Saturday, but they have already clinched a spot in next year's tournament by finishing second in the Bundesliga. Schalke 04 and Borussia Monchengladbach also secured berths.
England - Manchester City and Manchester United enter their last match of the season tied atop the table, but City owns a commanding lead in the goal differential tiebreaker. City finishes the season hosting a Queens Park Rangers squad that may need at least a draw to avoid relegation. United travels to Sunderland to take on a team in the middle of the table with little to play for. Assuming both win, City will take home its first league title in 44 years. Both City and United have secured their places in the Champions League. Champions League berths are also up for grabs with Arsenal (67 points), Tottenham Hotspur (66), and Newcastle United (65) vying for one or two spots (if Chelsea defeats Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on May 19, the Blues are guaranteed a chance to defend their title in next year's tournament and automatically take one of those spots).
Italy - Juventus ended a nine-year drought by clinching the Serie A title last weekend by virtue of their win and Inter Milan's victory over AC Milan. Juve and AC Milan have secured two of Italy's three Champions League berths, while the third one is Udinese's to lose. Should Udinese lose this weekend, Lazio or Napoli could sneak up and steal the spot.
Spain - Real Madrid held off Barcelona for the title, though both Champions League semifinalists have secured berths in next year's tournament. Valencia has also clinched a CL berth, with the fourth spot led by Malaga. Atletico Madrid, Levante, and Mallorca have slim hopes if Malaga slips up this weekend.
Germany - The Bundesliga season has completed, with Borussia Dortmund winning the title for the second year in a row. Bayern Munich is preparing to host the Champions League Final next Saturday, but they have already clinched a spot in next year's tournament by finishing second in the Bundesliga. Schalke 04 and Borussia Monchengladbach also secured berths.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Manchester City Wins Darby, Sets Up May to Remember in EPL
Manchester United and Manchester City faced off this evening in what almost amounted to a Premier League Championship match. United came into the darby up three points, but knowing City's goal differential advantage meant they needed at least a draw to remain atop the table. Vincent Kompany's header in stoppage time of the first half was the only goal, leading City to one of the most important victories in its storied, 132-year history.
The domino effect of City's triumph was felt at both the top and bottom of the EPL. At the top of the table, the roller coaster season continued. Manchester City handed United a 6-1 embarrassment in October that set the tone for the 2011 portion of the campaign; however, controversy surrounding superstar striker Carlos Tevez and uneven play at the back cost the Citizens their early advantage, and United pounced with an impressive 2012 run. Today's result evened everything out at the top and put City back in the lead based on the goal differential tiebreaker (City is +61, United +53).
City now controls its own destiny but has matches left against Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle is fighting to get a spot in Europe, while QPR is in danger of relegation. United faces Swansea and Sunderland, two teams in the middle of the pack with much less to play for than City's opponents. City will surely be tested in these next two matches, while United likely will have no trouble with their opponents.
The race for the third and fourth spots in the EPL is always filled with drama as those squads qualify for the Champions League, while fifth must settle for the Europa League. Arsenal (66 points) is in good shape to earn one of the CL berths, though they have played one more match than the remaining contenders in this group. Fourth place is up for grabs, as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both have 62 points, though Tottenham has a superior goal differential (+20 to Newcastle's +7). Chelsea is right behind at 61 points and possesses the best goal differential of the bunch (+23). Chelsea also can punch their ticket into the Europa League if they can knock off Liverpool in the FA Cup Final this Saturday. The remaining schedules of these four squads is important to note: Arsenal has Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, two decent squads both stuck in the middle of the table. Tottenham has Bolton and Aston Villa, both whom are trying to stay away from relegation, and a Fulham team that is currently 9th. Newcastle has the toughest draw of the group, with Chelsea, City, and Everton left. Chelsea has Newcastle, Liverpool and Blackburn left. As you can see, the Newcastle/Chelsea match on Wednesday will be a high stakes affair.
In terms of relegation, Wolverhampton has already been assured of a bottom three spot. Blackburn Rovers (31 points) is in deep trouble and has tough matches with Chelsea and Wigan remaining. Bolton (34 points) has matches with Tottenham, West Brom and Stoke left on its schedule, while QPR (34 points) has Stoke and Man City. Two teams at 37 points, Aston Villa and Wigan, can secure their places in the top division with a positive result this weekend.
May 13 sets up to be one of the biggest days in EPL history. All 20 teams will be in action simultaneously, as the final 10 matches will all kickoff at the same time. At stake will likely be the league championship, Champions League and Europa League berths, and a relegation spot.
My predictions for how this will all play out over the next two weeks is as follows:
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
City and United both will win their final two matches, giving City the title based on its superior goal differential.
Champions League Berths: City, United, Arsenal, Tottenham
Newcastle and Chelsea battle to a draw, allowing Arsenal and Tottenham to secure their spots in the dance.
Europa League Berths: Chelsea, Liverpool
Chelsea wins the FA Cup over Liverpool and Chelsea finishes in fifth place in the EPL, allowing FA Cup runner-up Liverpool to beat out EPL sixth-place finisher Newcastle.
Relegation: Wolves, Blackburn, QPR
Blackburn gets knocked down by Chelsea, while Decision Sunday sees Bolton and Stoke battle to a draw and QPR getting run over by soon-to-be champion City.
Get your favorite snacks and adult beverages ready for a great two weeks of soccer!
The domino effect of City's triumph was felt at both the top and bottom of the EPL. At the top of the table, the roller coaster season continued. Manchester City handed United a 6-1 embarrassment in October that set the tone for the 2011 portion of the campaign; however, controversy surrounding superstar striker Carlos Tevez and uneven play at the back cost the Citizens their early advantage, and United pounced with an impressive 2012 run. Today's result evened everything out at the top and put City back in the lead based on the goal differential tiebreaker (City is +61, United +53).
City now controls its own destiny but has matches left against Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle is fighting to get a spot in Europe, while QPR is in danger of relegation. United faces Swansea and Sunderland, two teams in the middle of the pack with much less to play for than City's opponents. City will surely be tested in these next two matches, while United likely will have no trouble with their opponents.
The race for the third and fourth spots in the EPL is always filled with drama as those squads qualify for the Champions League, while fifth must settle for the Europa League. Arsenal (66 points) is in good shape to earn one of the CL berths, though they have played one more match than the remaining contenders in this group. Fourth place is up for grabs, as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both have 62 points, though Tottenham has a superior goal differential (+20 to Newcastle's +7). Chelsea is right behind at 61 points and possesses the best goal differential of the bunch (+23). Chelsea also can punch their ticket into the Europa League if they can knock off Liverpool in the FA Cup Final this Saturday. The remaining schedules of these four squads is important to note: Arsenal has Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, two decent squads both stuck in the middle of the table. Tottenham has Bolton and Aston Villa, both whom are trying to stay away from relegation, and a Fulham team that is currently 9th. Newcastle has the toughest draw of the group, with Chelsea, City, and Everton left. Chelsea has Newcastle, Liverpool and Blackburn left. As you can see, the Newcastle/Chelsea match on Wednesday will be a high stakes affair.
In terms of relegation, Wolverhampton has already been assured of a bottom three spot. Blackburn Rovers (31 points) is in deep trouble and has tough matches with Chelsea and Wigan remaining. Bolton (34 points) has matches with Tottenham, West Brom and Stoke left on its schedule, while QPR (34 points) has Stoke and Man City. Two teams at 37 points, Aston Villa and Wigan, can secure their places in the top division with a positive result this weekend.
May 13 sets up to be one of the biggest days in EPL history. All 20 teams will be in action simultaneously, as the final 10 matches will all kickoff at the same time. At stake will likely be the league championship, Champions League and Europa League berths, and a relegation spot.
My predictions for how this will all play out over the next two weeks is as follows:
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
City and United both will win their final two matches, giving City the title based on its superior goal differential.
Champions League Berths: City, United, Arsenal, Tottenham
Newcastle and Chelsea battle to a draw, allowing Arsenal and Tottenham to secure their spots in the dance.
Europa League Berths: Chelsea, Liverpool
Chelsea wins the FA Cup over Liverpool and Chelsea finishes in fifth place in the EPL, allowing FA Cup runner-up Liverpool to beat out EPL sixth-place finisher Newcastle.
Relegation: Wolves, Blackburn, QPR
Blackburn gets knocked down by Chelsea, while Decision Sunday sees Bolton and Stoke battle to a draw and QPR getting run over by soon-to-be champion City.
Get your favorite snacks and adult beverages ready for a great two weeks of soccer!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Memo to US Soccer Fans: Don't Panic!
Ever since the US Soccer Team failed to qualify for the Olympics this past week, some of my fellow soccer fans have gone into a depression. They were looking forward to watching the red, white, and blue play in London and continue to enjoy soccer's positive momentum in this country. Now they are asking what this disappointment will do to this surge in soccer spirit. I'm here to tell you it will hurt very little.
For those of you whom do not know how the Olympic soccer tournament is structured, the most important part to understand is this is more of a youth tournament than a national tournament. Most of the players have to have been born after January 1, 1989. Countries are allowed no more than three exceptions to this rule, and even then most squads either pick players who are slightly above that age, or players who are on the back end of their career in order to have one more shot at Olympic glory.
So what does this mean to US Soccer? It means that the driving forces behind its recent success - players like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard whom have all starred internationally in recent years - did not participate in the qualifying tournament and likely would not have participated in the Olympics this summer anyways.
The one red flag of the qualifying failure is that the next generation of US players is that it highlighted the need for more development and better players at that age level. University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter had some decent talent on this squad, evident in its 2-0 win over Mexico right before the qualifying tournament. However, the team lost focus in its match against Canada and then allowed a late tying goal to El Salvador that knocked them out.
It will be interesting to watch how the lower-level squads progress over the next two to three years and which youth stars rise up the ranks to make the 2016 U-23 team. My hope is that Porter remains in an important US Soccer role because I see him as a possible USMNT coach down the line.
So, my friends, walk away from the ledge! US Soccer defeated Italy in one of the most important international wins in our history just last month. The focus of the national team is on World Cup qualifying this summer for the 2014 World Cup, with matches beginning in June. That process will do nothing but raise the already elevated profile of soccer in our country...and the likes of Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard will be on center stage to continue the charge.
For those of you whom do not know how the Olympic soccer tournament is structured, the most important part to understand is this is more of a youth tournament than a national tournament. Most of the players have to have been born after January 1, 1989. Countries are allowed no more than three exceptions to this rule, and even then most squads either pick players who are slightly above that age, or players who are on the back end of their career in order to have one more shot at Olympic glory.
So what does this mean to US Soccer? It means that the driving forces behind its recent success - players like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard whom have all starred internationally in recent years - did not participate in the qualifying tournament and likely would not have participated in the Olympics this summer anyways.
The one red flag of the qualifying failure is that the next generation of US players is that it highlighted the need for more development and better players at that age level. University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter had some decent talent on this squad, evident in its 2-0 win over Mexico right before the qualifying tournament. However, the team lost focus in its match against Canada and then allowed a late tying goal to El Salvador that knocked them out.
It will be interesting to watch how the lower-level squads progress over the next two to three years and which youth stars rise up the ranks to make the 2016 U-23 team. My hope is that Porter remains in an important US Soccer role because I see him as a possible USMNT coach down the line.
So, my friends, walk away from the ledge! US Soccer defeated Italy in one of the most important international wins in our history just last month. The focus of the national team is on World Cup qualifying this summer for the 2014 World Cup, with matches beginning in June. That process will do nothing but raise the already elevated profile of soccer in our country...and the likes of Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard will be on center stage to continue the charge.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Champions League Round of 16 Preview
The Champions League begins its Round of 16 this week. For my continuing novice soccer fans, the Champions League is an annual competition between the best teams in Europe. Last year, Barcelona defeated Manchester United to win its fourth title overall and third in the last six years. This year’s Round of 16 features three teams from Italy; two teams each from Spain, England, Germany, France, and Russia; and one team each from Portugal, Switzerland, and Cyprus.
The Round of 16 has eight “home-and-home” matches, meaning each grouping of two teams will face each other once on each other’s home fields. The team leading aggregate score after the two matches advances to the next round. Should there be a tie, there is a rather complex tie-breaking system that starts with away goals being the deciding factor…so teams scoring a goal on the road feel pretty good about themselves going into the second leg even if they only earn a tie in the first leg. If all things are equal after the tie-breaker, extra time will be played following the second leg.
The Round of 16 has eight “home-and-home” matches, meaning each grouping of two teams will face each other once on each other’s home fields. The team leading aggregate score after the two matches advances to the next round. Should there be a tie, there is a rather complex tie-breaking system that starts with away goals being the deciding factor…so teams scoring a goal on the road feel pretty good about themselves going into the second leg even if they only earn a tie in the first leg. If all things are equal after the tie-breaker, extra time will be played following the second leg.
As we near the date of the first matches during this round, I thought it would be fun to make some predictions on how I see things unfolding. Here we go:
Bayer Leverkusen v. Barcelona
Barcelona is having a bit of an up and down campaign, sitting seven points behind Real Madrid in La Liga. They still have to be considered the team to beat, as they feature the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, and the most dynamic midfield around. Leverkusen currently sits in sixth place in the Bundesliga. Their problem will be that Barcelona will inevitably score, which means Leverkusen will have to play more aggressively – opening themselves up for some big counter-attacking goals from the defending champions.
Prediction: Barcelona 6, Bayer Leverkusen 2
Lyon v. Apoel Nicosia
Lyon is having a decent season in France’s Ligue 1, sitting in a tie for third place. Apoel Nicosia is the surprise of the tournament, becoming the first team from Cyprus to reach this stage. Lyon comes in the overwhelming favorite, and I don’t see the Cinderella story continuing over a two-leg matchup with the French side.
Prediction: Lyon 4, Apoel Nicosia 2
Zenit St. Petersburg v. Benfica
The two most dominant teams of this season from Russia and Portugal face off in what should be a very even matchup. Tough one to call, so this is just a gut feeling.
Prediction: Benfica 3, Zenit St. Petersburg 2
AC Milan v. Arsenal
Milan has been solid this year, just one point behind the lead in Serie A. Arsenal has had an inconsistent campaign, but they have the firepower to pull off an upset here. This is my pick for the most exciting matchup of the round.
Prediction: AC Milan 4, Arsenal 3
CSKA Moscow v. Real Madrid
Moscow has been up and down in recent months, while Real Madrid sits atop La Liga. This one could get ugly.
Prediction: Real Madrid 5, CSKA Moscow 2
Napoli v. Chelsea
Napoli has struggled over recent weeks, falling to seventh in Serie A. Chelsea is also struggling to find top form, but they have more scoring options than the Italian side.
Napoli has struggled over recent weeks, falling to seventh in Serie A. Chelsea is also struggling to find top form, but they have more scoring options than the Italian side.
Prediction: Chelsea 3, Napoli 2
FC Basel v. Bayern Munich
The Swiss side Basel is a decent club, but seems overmatched by German powerhouse Bayern here. This is another matchup that could become lopsided.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 4, FC Basel 2
Marseille v. Internazionale
FC Basel v. Bayern Munich
The Swiss side Basel is a decent club, but seems overmatched by German powerhouse Bayern here. This is another matchup that could become lopsided.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 4, FC Basel 2
Marseille v. Internazionale
Two storied clubs in France and Italy, respectively, will face off here in what should be a very low-scoring, defensive struggle as both teams play that style. Look for Inter to come out on top because they have more scoring punch up front.
Prediction: Internazionale 3, Marseille 2 (extra time)
Prediction: Internazionale 3, Marseille 2 (extra time)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Dempsey and Donovan Impacting the EPL
Over the past nine years, Tim Howard has been the face of American soccer in the English Premier League. Howard was a solid performer at Manchester United before joining Everton in 2006; since then, he has been considered one of the top goalkeepers in the EPL and his quality has been lauded around the world. However, Howard is no longer the only American turning heads among soccer fans across the pond.
Clint Dempsey joined Fulham in 2007 after starring in the MLS. His first four years in the EPL were full of promise and some highlights, but short on consistent production. In 2009, he scored a highlight reel goal against Juventus in the Europa League Round of 16 that helped lead them to an historic victory. Last season, Dempsey scored 12 goals for Fulham and looked like a star in the making going into this season. And oh, what a season it has been. Dempsey has scored 16 goals so far during this campaign - 10 during the EPL season and six more during FA Cup matches. His hat-trick against Newcastle last month was the first ever scored by an American in a top-flight European league. He now holds the all-time record for goals scored by an American in the EPL, and Dempsey shows no signs of slowing down. The only question surrounding Dempsey now is whether or not he will remain with Fulham during the summer off-season transfer window, as he has expressed interest in playing for a Champions League-caliber team and Fulham is not playing near that level.
Landon Donovan is enjoying his loan tour with Everton this season. After helping lead the L.A. Galaxy to the MLS Cup Championship, Donovan joined Everton for the second time in his career on a short-term loan. Since the start of his eight-week tour, Donovan has played every minute of his seven matches with Everton, and has assisted on five goals. This past Tuesday, Donovan fed Darron Gibson for the only goal of their win against Manchester City, which dealt a severe blow to City's chances at an EPL title, while catapulting Everton into the top half of the table. Donovan's pace and passes have helped improve Everton's attack tremendously.
Howard, Dempsey, and Donovan are the players the USMNT will be relying on heavily as World Cup Qualifying begins this summer. It has been a real treat watching them succeed at the highest level possible over these past few weeks, and a continuation of these results will help them not only prepare for an important summer, but serve to continue elevating the reputation of U.S. soccer throughout the world.
Clint Dempsey joined Fulham in 2007 after starring in the MLS. His first four years in the EPL were full of promise and some highlights, but short on consistent production. In 2009, he scored a highlight reel goal against Juventus in the Europa League Round of 16 that helped lead them to an historic victory. Last season, Dempsey scored 12 goals for Fulham and looked like a star in the making going into this season. And oh, what a season it has been. Dempsey has scored 16 goals so far during this campaign - 10 during the EPL season and six more during FA Cup matches. His hat-trick against Newcastle last month was the first ever scored by an American in a top-flight European league. He now holds the all-time record for goals scored by an American in the EPL, and Dempsey shows no signs of slowing down. The only question surrounding Dempsey now is whether or not he will remain with Fulham during the summer off-season transfer window, as he has expressed interest in playing for a Champions League-caliber team and Fulham is not playing near that level.
Landon Donovan is enjoying his loan tour with Everton this season. After helping lead the L.A. Galaxy to the MLS Cup Championship, Donovan joined Everton for the second time in his career on a short-term loan. Since the start of his eight-week tour, Donovan has played every minute of his seven matches with Everton, and has assisted on five goals. This past Tuesday, Donovan fed Darron Gibson for the only goal of their win against Manchester City, which dealt a severe blow to City's chances at an EPL title, while catapulting Everton into the top half of the table. Donovan's pace and passes have helped improve Everton's attack tremendously.
Howard, Dempsey, and Donovan are the players the USMNT will be relying on heavily as World Cup Qualifying begins this summer. It has been a real treat watching them succeed at the highest level possible over these past few weeks, and a continuation of these results will help them not only prepare for an important summer, but serve to continue elevating the reputation of U.S. soccer throughout the world.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
What is the EPL?
As soccer is becoming more popular in this country and some of my friends are beginning to follow teams, I have been asked lots of questions about the best league to follow - the English Premier League, which is also known as the Barclay's Premier League. The EPL, as it is most often abbreviated, is made up of the top 20 teams in England. On an annual basis (August-May), these teams compete in a 38-match season where each team plays the 19 other teams once at home and once away. The top four teams in the league advance to the UEFA Champions League, which is a hotly contested annual competition among the top teams in all of Europe. The bottom three teams in the EPL each year drop to the second league in England, while the top three teams in that league move up to the EPL. The Champions League and relegation process mean that even if a team is running away with the title or having a very poor season, there is much to play for among the other teams to either advance to the Champions League or try to avoid relegation.
For those of you who are American soccer fans and wanting to cheer for our guys on EPL teams, here are five teams to consider rooting for:
Everton - My team of choice has Tim Howard as its goalkeeper and recently re-acquired Landon Donovan on a two-month loan from the L.A. Galaxy during the MLS off-season. Marcus Hahnemann, backup keeper to Howard for the U.S., is also his backup for Everton. Everton currently sits in 11th place in the EPL at 25 points. They are perennially in what I call "EPL Purgatory," usually not seriously threatened by relegation, but also not often contenders for a Champions League spot.
Fulham - Clint Dempsey has starred for Fulham over the past couple of seasons. He leads Fulham this season with six goals in the EPL. Last month, Dempsey scored his 37th EPL goal, becoming the all-time American goal scorer in league history. Brian McBride scored 36 EPL goals during his illustrious international career. Fulham often is in the middle of the table like Everton - this season they are currently 14th at 23 points.
Tottenham - This is one of the top teams in the EPL this season, currently sitting in third place at 46 points. Their starting goalkeeper is Brad Friedel, another in a long line of outstanding American netminders.
Aston Villa - Brad Guzan, one of Howard's backups, is fighting for the #1 keeper spot for Villa, and Eric Lichaj is trying to work his way into the Villa backfield just as he is looking for time in the U.S. lineup. Villa is currently tied for 12th at 24 points.
Bolton - Stuart Holden, one of the rising stars in the U.S. midfield, was selected as Bolton's most valuable player last season and soccer fans were looking forward to another big campaign from him in 2011-12. Unfortunately, Holden has not been able to suit up yet this season due to injury. Should Bolton be relegated, which looks quite possible given their current 19th place standing, look for Holden to be sold to another EPL team.
This year's EPL action has been outstanding so far. Manchester City and Manchester United are tied with 48 points (teams get three points for wins and one point for a tie). United has played one more match than City to this point, so City technically is in the lead. Tottenham and Chelsea currently hold the all-important third and fourth spots to lay claim to the Champions League spots at 46 and 40 points, respectively. Arsenal and Newcastle United are desperately trying to move up the table and into those spots - they both have 36 points. On the other side of the things, Wigan Athletic (15 points), Bolton (16) and Queens Park Rangers (17) are in the last three spots, which is called the "Relegation Zone" because those would be the relegated squads if the season were to end today. In danger of fallling into that zone are Blackburn Rovers (17 points), Wolverhampton (18) and West Bromwich Albion (22).
For those of you who want to get a taste of EPL action, I encourage you to watch two outstanding matches next Saturday morning featuring four of the best teams in the world. Manchester City takes on Tottenham at 8:25 am et on Fox Soccer, while at 10:30 am et Arsenal will face Manchester United on Fox Sports as Fox continues to jump on the soccer bandwagon.
For those of you who are American soccer fans and wanting to cheer for our guys on EPL teams, here are five teams to consider rooting for:
Everton - My team of choice has Tim Howard as its goalkeeper and recently re-acquired Landon Donovan on a two-month loan from the L.A. Galaxy during the MLS off-season. Marcus Hahnemann, backup keeper to Howard for the U.S., is also his backup for Everton. Everton currently sits in 11th place in the EPL at 25 points. They are perennially in what I call "EPL Purgatory," usually not seriously threatened by relegation, but also not often contenders for a Champions League spot.
Fulham - Clint Dempsey has starred for Fulham over the past couple of seasons. He leads Fulham this season with six goals in the EPL. Last month, Dempsey scored his 37th EPL goal, becoming the all-time American goal scorer in league history. Brian McBride scored 36 EPL goals during his illustrious international career. Fulham often is in the middle of the table like Everton - this season they are currently 14th at 23 points.
Tottenham - This is one of the top teams in the EPL this season, currently sitting in third place at 46 points. Their starting goalkeeper is Brad Friedel, another in a long line of outstanding American netminders.
Aston Villa - Brad Guzan, one of Howard's backups, is fighting for the #1 keeper spot for Villa, and Eric Lichaj is trying to work his way into the Villa backfield just as he is looking for time in the U.S. lineup. Villa is currently tied for 12th at 24 points.
Bolton - Stuart Holden, one of the rising stars in the U.S. midfield, was selected as Bolton's most valuable player last season and soccer fans were looking forward to another big campaign from him in 2011-12. Unfortunately, Holden has not been able to suit up yet this season due to injury. Should Bolton be relegated, which looks quite possible given their current 19th place standing, look for Holden to be sold to another EPL team.
This year's EPL action has been outstanding so far. Manchester City and Manchester United are tied with 48 points (teams get three points for wins and one point for a tie). United has played one more match than City to this point, so City technically is in the lead. Tottenham and Chelsea currently hold the all-important third and fourth spots to lay claim to the Champions League spots at 46 and 40 points, respectively. Arsenal and Newcastle United are desperately trying to move up the table and into those spots - they both have 36 points. On the other side of the things, Wigan Athletic (15 points), Bolton (16) and Queens Park Rangers (17) are in the last three spots, which is called the "Relegation Zone" because those would be the relegated squads if the season were to end today. In danger of fallling into that zone are Blackburn Rovers (17 points), Wolverhampton (18) and West Bromwich Albion (22).
For those of you who want to get a taste of EPL action, I encourage you to watch two outstanding matches next Saturday morning featuring four of the best teams in the world. Manchester City takes on Tottenham at 8:25 am et on Fox Soccer, while at 10:30 am et Arsenal will face Manchester United on Fox Sports as Fox continues to jump on the soccer bandwagon.
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